​Kincardine man joins Battlefield Bike Ride in support of Wounded Warriors of Canada

Steve Shute (right) of Kincardine has served in the Canadian  Armed Forces and knows the difficulties faced by many veterans and First-Responders.

That’s why the 49-year-old is joining the Battlefield Bike Ride in support of Wounded Warriors of Canada.

In recognition of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, Shute, a Lieutenant-Commander (Retired) with the Royal Canadian Navy, will ride about 400 kilometres over five days through many of the historical battlefields of the Second World War, located in the countryside of northern France.

“The purpose is to raise funds for the Wounded Warriors of Canada which is an incredible non-profit organization that directly supports and assists thousands of veterans and First-Reponders on any given day,” says Shute. “I am setting out on this adventure for a couple of reasons:

“Firstly, as a result of my 20-year military service, I have several physical injuries that negatively impact my life on a daily basis. I am not sure how long I will be in a position to challenge myself on such an adventure.

“Secondly, I have had many friends who have suffered from the effects of mental trauma from both military and civilian First-Responder services. Many of them suffered in silence and for the majority, never received medical support in overcoming those injuries, and either live with the constant suffering from mental health challenges or eventually succumbed to their demons.

“And thirdly, I have a strong interest in rekindling the camaraderie that I was accustomed to during my service.

“As a 20-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces and, as the current fire chief at Bruce Power, which is the largest nuclear facility in North America, I fully understand the need for such critical services and programs.”

Shute adds that the bike ride is a win-win for him.

“I get the opportunity to raise funds for an organization that I believe in, and in return, I get the opportunity to fulfill a bucket-list trip of a lifetime,” he says. “I studied military history while at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, and this has been long on my to-do list.”

Shute has lived in Kincardine with his wife, Colleen, and daughter, Harmony, for almost eight years. He has worked as the fire chief at Bruce Power for the past four-and-a-half years.

He served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1996-2016, mostly posted to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt (Victoria, British Columbia), but he also spent several years in London, Ontario; Kingston, Ontario; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

He has been chairman of the sponsoring committee for the 183 Typhoon Squadron Kincardine Air Cadets, for the past two years and is very proud of that. “We brought the squadron out of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is now very healthy with about 28 Cadets regularly on parade."

Shute has raised $5,600 for the Battlefield Bike Ride, and is very grateful for his family’s support, as well as donations from friends, previous shipmates, co-workers, the Lucknow and District Kinsmen, and Bruce Power.

Donations for the Battlefield Bike Ride have now closed, but donations can always be made to Wounded Warriors of Canada at woundedwarriors.ca.

Shute leaves Saturday (June 8) for France, and the ride runs the following Monday to Friday (June 10-14).