Though she didn’t know her well, Tiffanie Trudell holds great respect for Jan Seelinger.
Trudell and her husband Tommy Smith are organizing a memorial ride for their former Canoe neighbour, Seelinger, who died after the motorcycle she was riding collided with a commercial farm vehicle at the Highway 97A/Springbend Road intersection on Tuesday, June 22.
Trudell said she and Smith were told about the fatality by a friend and fellow Canoe resident who is a member of Smith’s men’s support group, BC Whisky Wizards (BCWW). It was suggested a memorial ride be set up for Seelinger, and Trudell was keen to take the reins.
“We have a big platform (BCWW) and we love to use it for good,” said Trudell. “And this lady, Jan, we’ve only ever had one interaction with her – it was really positive and she was a really nice lady.”
In addition to riding her motorcycle, Seelinger enjoyed boxing. She was a member of Salmon Arm’s Bulldogs Boxing and fought in the 2018 Hit 2 Fit charity boxing event.
Seelinger was also a passionate and outspoken advocate for women. She’d worked with the SAFE Society women’s shelter and was a program co-ordinator for Community Based Victim Services.
“I’m a survivor of domestic abuse so to me, it’s a huge thing…,” said Trudell. “Anybody that does anything positive for stuff like that is always going to be a winner in my eyes.”
The ride is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 31. It will start at 1 p.m. at Canoe Beach. From there, participants will drive to Grindrod, then to Sicamous and back to Canoe.
Trudell said the ride is open to anyone, and not just for motorcycles. Trudell said she was arranging to get another support group, Bikers Are Buddies, onboard, and hoped to make Seelinger and honorary member.
Any donations raised from the event will go to the SAFE Society.
“If we can get people to come and donate, even $5, to the SAFE Society in her name, I’m sure she would be so grateful, and it’s the least we can do,” said Trudell.
For more information, visit the Memorial Ride for Jan Seelinger Facebook page.
Editor’s note: The ride was initially planned for July 3, but was changed to July 31.
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lachlan@saobserver.net
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