It’s been 20 years since the Soft Cogs embarked on their first charity ride and this year the team went all out, taking the total raised for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to an incredible $1.6 million dollars.
You might’ve read their story in @ The Coalface before, Kim Nguyen co-founded Soft Cogs with mate Tony Campbell in 2005 over a Friday afternoon bevvie in Singleton.
They noticed there was a lack of corporate teams representing the mining industry at big charity events. Kim and Tony realised they could do something about it, so they started Soft Cogs. Their first team had 19 cyclists in the MS Gong Ride and they raised $9,174.
Made up mostly of miners, Soft Cogs grew each year and now proudly boasts more than 100 riders from the Hunter Valley, Sydney and beyond. Each year they participate in the MS Gong ride raising money for MS, something that affects more young people than any other neurological condition.
Kim said they are consistently the highest fundraising team at the event.
“The fundraising is very, very competitive!
“We were very proud that our group were the Gong Ride’s highest fundraising team, out of 888 teams,” said Kim. “It also brings our tally to over $1.6 million raised for MS in our 20-year existence.
“But the real credit goes to everyone that has backed us. I’m grateful for the support we’ve had, especially from the mining industry, but it’s the community support that really makes such a difference. All those mum and dad donations really do add up.”
This year the MS Gong ride was held in early November over 80 kilometres with over 440 teams taking part.
Kim is the Soft Cogs Captain and said they had riders who did zero or very little training but as it’s a ride for everyone it doesn’t matter.
“We’re not super serious, we want to create a fun environment for everyone which sometimes means breaking the rules…
“There is a cool detour we take during the MS Gong Ride, off the beaten track. We do a bit of mountain biking so we peal off at Heathcote and go down a mountain bike trail that takes you to the Hacking River and joins back up to the ride through the national park. It’s beautiful.
“That is definitely a highlight of the ride and so is the finish line. We have a marquee set up for the team that is fully catered so they can put their feet up but the really cool part is who we have doing the barbecue. We have formed a relationship with the University of Wollongong Mining Engineering undergrads who come in and do it.
“We might not be purely a mining team but being from a mining community we obviously attract a lot of mining enthusiasts so the students have made connections and picked up work or post-graduate roles. It’s really heartwarming to bump into these mining engineering students back in the workplace after seeing them build that relationship,” said Kim.
This year alone Soft Cogs raised more than $120,000 and Kim himself is at the top of the individual fundraisers list raising more than $63,800.
It’s a little arse-about, but Soft Cogs have their presentation night the night before the MS Gong Ride where they award their GOAT Award, Greatest Of All Time.
“The intention is to give the award to someone who flies under the radar. One year the Port Stephens Coaches bus driver got it – he volunteers his time to drive the 58-seat bus and trailer for us and parks it in the middle of Sydney! When we put in to get the bus each year we ask for Garry because he is simply a legend.
“He embodies the award, it shows that you don’t have to be a member of the club or a serious cyclist, you just have to be a proper good person.
“This year they gave me the GOAT Award! There was a bit of skullduggery that’s for sure. It was so special to receive it and I truly understand the value of the award now and its recipients.”
Kim said Soft Cogs is about more than just the annual charity ride. There have been so many highlights over the years of rides, or things Soft Cogs has gotten together to achieve.
“A bittersweet memory is when one of our founding members Tony was tragically killed in a freak accident in Tasmania in 2020. It’s always hard going through the old photos for our annual presentation, you can’t help but feel a little bit emotional.
“When the accident happened everyone wanted to do something, and with no prep time Soft Cogs got together and stepped up.
“Everyone wanted to pitch in and help the family but I suggested we just do a ride. A social ride with a barbecue and a donation box so we could show Tony’s family we were there for them. At the time Tony’s wife was still in hospital, as she was involved in the accident as well, so she was in the ICU when we did the ride.
“It was a social ride around Singleton and we had 200 riders show up and about 50 volunteers. Coles and Woolworths donated stuff for the barbecue, they contacted us – we didn’t even put our hands out. Westrac and Marathon Tyres were the same, they donated their barbecue trailer for us to use and we ended up raising thousands of dollars.
“It was amazing.”
As well as all the annual rides, Soft Cogs do regularly get together, once a week for what they call their “Sunday Church”.
“We go for a ride every Sunday, it’s like our version of Mens Shed. We go for a ride in Singleton and then sit on our tailgates and crack a tinny and have a chat or some banter, it’s like our soul food.
“We’re lucky. We have the people and the vessel and common interests, it’s awesome,” Kim smiled.
| If you want to find out more about Soft Cogs or maybe you have a bike gathering dust in the shed you want to put to use, check out their website at: www.softcogs.com Jess sat down with Kim for an episode of Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface, available to download now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio and more. |
