Greg Roloson
Age: 47
Occupation: Bicycle Mechanic, Nielsen’s Bicycles
Hometown: Bracebridge, ON
Family: Married, wife Wanda; 2 sons - Jeff and Ben
I am proud to say I was part of the first SNKCR in June 2008 and am looking forward to doing a second tour of duty in 2009. Being part of the Ride last year changed me as a person. It was an honour to meet our ambassadors and their families, and to see how much we can do to help make lives brighter. We can all learn from them and are humbled by their strength. I made some great friends (and you too Bill!) and met some wonderful athletes. I am really looking forward to meeting old friends again and making new ones this year.
I would like to say thank-you to the Foundation and organizers of this wonderful event and my wife, Wanda, for supporting my efforts. I am honoured to be able to lend my services to help such a worthwhile cause again. There is nothing that gives a parent greater pleasure or melts a heart faster than a smile from their child. As a parent of a child with a life-long illness, there is no greater fight than for our children’s health and happiness. They are worth fighting for!
I was born in Woodstock, Ontario and grew up on a small farm with five brothers. For the last 11 years, my family and I have called beautiful Muskoka our home, currently living in Bracebridge. I am an avid bike rider. I took up cycling seriously while recovering from a broken ankle due to a skiing injury in 2003. I have been hooked every since! Together with my wife of 23 years and my two sons, I enjoy all types of riding from local mountain bike trails, MTB racing and road riding. My sons are both cyclists and unicycle riders as well as bicycle mechanics. One of my hobbies is designing and building my own bicycles. I am a huge comedy fan and, of course, I watch the Tour de France every year.
My career has evolved from motorcycle mechanic to small engine & marine mechanic to turf and large equipment repair and around to bicycle mechanic. I currently work for Nielsen’s Bicycles in Bracebridge. I love every minute of my job from assisting customers to service to building bikes. One of the best parts of my job is getting children involved in picking out the right bike for them and fostering cycling as a pastime and healthy activity. I would like to thank my understanding boss, Kurt Nielsen, for supporting me in this endeavour and giving me time off just as the cycle season is gearing up.
