Andrew Wolf Memorial Updates

Updated September 16, 2011

The Otesha community continues to remember Andrew Wolf

A year after the tragic accident that claimed our dear Highlands and Islands Tour member, Andrew Wolf, the Otesha community rallied together to celebrate his life. We remember his positivity and warmth and celebrated his life by anonymously delivering Bike Love Notes to bicycles in Ottawa. Encouraging them to continue using the sustainable mode of transportation, we share Andrew's vision for a more sustainable future resulting from taking our own concrete action.

We miss you, Andrew.

Updated September 30, 2010

Highlands and Islands Tour to pedal on in honour of Andrew Wolf

Thank you to all members of the Otesha community and beyond who came out to memorial events in honour of  Andrew Wolf. Cyclists from across Canada, the United States, and as far away as Hungary, took part in rides in memory of Andrew, our dear friend and member the Highlands and Islands Tour.

In Andrew’s honour, and with the same strength and hope that he inspired in others, the team has decided to continue their journey, traveling by bicycle across the Maritimes delivering environmental education programs that empower young people to make positive change in the world around them. The tour is currently on the road in Prince Edward Island.

In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wolf family. We will continue to pass along letters and words of support sent to [info@otesha.ca] to Andrew’s family and to the Highlands and Islands team.

Peace and bicycle grease,

The Otesha Project

***

Updated September 23, 2010

Dear members of the Otesha Community,

On behalf of the Highlands and Island team, we'd like to thank you all for your immense kindness and support during this difficult time. We have been deeply touched by your encouragement and understanding as we support each other in our collective and individual grief at the death of Andrew Wolf – our dear friend and team member.

On Thursday, September 16, Andrew was struck and killed by a transport truck while cycling with The Otesha Project’s Highlands and Islands Tour near Petersville Hill, New Brunswick. Two other tour members were injured. Both have since been released from hospital.

Following the accident, the team decided to suspend the tour to take time to mourn the loss of their dear friend, and to decide how best to honour him. Since then there has been an outpouring of support and solidarity from across the continent. At a local level, the Grand Bay and area community has rallied around the team, and for that we are eternally grateful. We have received overwhelming support and encouragement from inside and outside the Otesha community and from Andrew’s friends and family in the United States. We all miss him dearly.

In Andrew’s honour, and with the same strength and hope that he inspired in others, the team has decided to continue their journey, traveling by bicycle across the Maritimes delivering environmental education programs that empower young people to make positive change in the world around them.

The team will be taking a week to regroup and will resume the tour in Summerside, Prince Edward Island on Friday, October 1.

To celebrate Andrew’s life, the team would like to invite the Saint John and area community to join them in a public memorial ceremony and bike ride this Friday September 24, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. in Kings Square. The ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m., and all are welcome to join the team on a bike ride around the city  beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The ride will take place in conjunction with Critical Mass, a monthly ride that takes place on the last Friday of the month in cities across the globe. It will be a ride for hope, and a celebration of the more sustainable world that Andrew dreamed of.

In Ottawa, The Otesha Project would also like to invite members of the community to a public memorial service at the Church of the Ascension, 253 Echo Dr. at 4:00 p.m. The service will be followed by a memorial ride in conjunction with Ottawa’s Critical Mass. Many Otesha program alumni will be participating in other rides in cities across the country.

In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wolf family. We will continue to pass along letters and words of support sent to [info@otesha.ca] to Andrew’s family and to the Highlands and Islands team.

In solidarity,

The Otesha Project

Memorial Events in Honour of Andrew Wolf
Friday, September 24
Saint John, 4:00 p.m., Kings Square
Ottawa, 4:00 p.m., Church of the Ascension, 253 Echo Dr
Toronto, 6:00 p.m., Bloor and Spadina Parkette

***

Updated September 18, 2010

Dear members of the Otesha family,
It is with deep sorrow that we report the death of one of our tour members, Andrew Wolf.  Andrew was a member of The Otesha Project’s Highlands and Islands Tour. While cycling with the team in New Brunswick, he was struck by a transport truck and killed September 16th at 2:30 p.m. Atlantic time.

On behalf of the entire Otesha community, our thoughts and prayers go out to Andrew’s family, friends and members of the Highlands and Islands Tour. We all are shocked and deeply saddened. Andrew was a passionate and well-loved member of the Otesha community, and had been with the team since the start of the tour on September 7, 2010.

The accident took place yesterday afternoon on Highway #7 near Petersville Hill, New Brunswick, approximately 10 kilometers north of Welsford. The cyclists were travelling southbound when they were struck by a transport truck. Andrew was killed, and two other tour members were admitted to hospital with injuries.

The RCMP have been in touch with the families of the team members affected. Otesha is also in ongoing communication with the families. During this difficult time, our greatest concern is ensuring the families and all participants are supported.

Kelly Bowden, a Programs Director with the Otesha Project who has been with the team since the tour started, is currently leading the response and working to meet the teams needs. Two other staff members have been sent to support her and the rest of the team. Grief counsellors, the Red Cross, and an outpouring of support from the local community are all helping the team cope with this tragedy. We are grateful for their immense kindness and support.  

The team has decided to suspend the tour for the time being and will decide in the coming days whether to continue the tour. The Highlands & Islands Tour is the final of three cycling and performing tours scheduled for the 2010 season.

We would like to express our deep gratitude for the kind letters and offers of support coming from among the more than 350 alumni of the program and from the wider community. A group of supporters have set up a Facebook group - ‘In Otesha Solidarity’ - as a show of support to the team. Many others have been wearing their Otesha t-shirts and plan to do so at the upcoming critical mass bike ride taking place Friday September 24th in many cities across the world to honor Andrew.

At the request of the Wolf family, a fund has been established in Andrew's name that is to be used to help others to participate in Otesha cycling and performing tours.  Those wishing to contribute to this fund can do so at the following giving page. 

For those who would like to share their condolences with Andrew’s family, or reach the organization the best way is to contact Otesha through email at [info@otesha.ca]. We will ensure the family receives all your messages of support. We will do our best to share information with the community via our website (www.otesha.ca). In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with the Wolf family.

Jessica Lax & Jocelyn Land-Murphy
On behalf of all the staff and Board of Directors
The Otesha Project