Making a Difference with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Atlantic Branch

Every Dirt Road Trail Kilometre is Adventure with Purpose

The Eastern PEI Dirt Road Rally was built on a simple idea: an ATV weekend can be more than a great ride. It can strengthen lasting trail infrastructure, support rural tourism, and advance a health issue that touches families across Atlantic Canada. We call this Adventure with Purpose—and it is why this event exists in its current form.

Every rig on the trail, every sponsor on our list, and every volunteer at a checkpoint is contributing to three connected goals at once.

The Three Pillars of Our Rally

Trail Infrastructure Legacy

This rally is also how we build the case, year over year, for connecting the Eastern Kings and Queens East ATV trail networks into a safer, better-signed, four-season tip to tip trail system. Funds raised go directly toward trail maintenance, signage, and the groundwork for expanded shared-use trails that support both recreation and active transportation across Eastern PEI.

Tourism and Rural Economic Impact

The Dirt Road Rally extends the tourist season into the fall shoulder period, bringing riders, families, and spectators into Eastern PEI communities that don’t always see peak-season traffic. Local restaurants, bakeries, and accommodations along the route see real business from rally weekend, and our route planning intentionally routes riders past these small businesses rather than around them.

Kidney Health Advocacy

Since 2024, we’ve partnered with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Atlantic Branch to raise funds for kidney health research and patient support programs across Atlantic Canada. This isn’t a side note to the event, it’s built into the entry fee, the sponsorship structure, and the story we tell riders before they ever throw a leg over their machine.

Why This Matters for Islanders

Kidney disease affects thousands of families across Prince Edward Island and the Maritimes, often quietly, with dialysis, transplant waitlists, and daily health management that most people never see. Our rally community wanted our growing event to stand for something beyond a great weekend on the trails, so we chose to make the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Atlantic Branch our charitable partner starting with our first Adventure with Purpose in 2024.

Did you know?

• More than 1,400 Islanders rely on life-sustaining and life-saving kidney care and support services coordinated through PEI’s provincial renal program.
• Dialysis: 175 Islanders receiving dialysis treatment, including 45 on home-based therapies and 130 receiving in-center dialysis at Prince County Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Western Hospital, and Souris Hospital.
• Transplant Wait List: 5 individuals were actively waiting for a kidney transplant, while 18 additional patients were undergoing assessment and preparation for transplantation.
• Transplants Performed: 5 kidney transplants were received during the year.
• Short-Term Financial Assistance: 182 individuals received $22,868 in support through our Short-Term Financial Assistance program, helping with essential expenses such as food, fuel, and transportation.
• Learn more, get tested, give what you can.

Where Your Support Goes

We believe in transparency about how funds raised are used. Proceeds from the Dirt Road Rally are shared between two purposes:

Kidney health research and patient support programs, delivered through the Kidney Foundation of Canada

Trail maintenance and development, keeping the Eastern Kings and Queens East ATV trail networks safe, signed, and open for four-season use

Every entry fee, sponsorship dollar, and pledge donation helps sustain both a health cause close to home and the trails that bring riders, tourism, and rural economic activity to Eastern PEI.

Our Story So Far

• 2024 — Our first pilot ride, one club, one day, raised $4,000 in funds for kidney health on newly opened roads in Eastern Kings.
• 2025 — Grew into a three-day event with Eastern Kings ATV Club and Queens East ATV Club partnering together: 135 rigs, 200 + participants, and $5,500 in funds raised for the Kidney Foundation and trail upkeep.
• 2026 — Our third annual rally, October 16–18, expands again with a Friday welcome, full Saturday and Sunday trail programs, and a goal of connecting even more riders.

Who Makes This Possible

Adventure with Purpose only works because it’s a shared effort. Eastern Kings ATV Club and Queens East ATV Club, and the PEI ATV Federation co-host the rally and share trail, logistics, and event responsibilities. Tourism partners help us reach riders across the region. Local sponsors and vendors extend hospitality along the route. And the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Atlantic Branch gives our fundraising a clear, meaningful destination.

If you’re joining us this October 16–18, know that your ride is already part of something bigger before you even hit the first mile of red dirt.

See this year’s rally details and registration →
Learn about our Kidney Foundation partnership →

About the Kidney Foundation of Canada

The Kidney Foundation of Canada is a national charity committed to improving the lives of people affected by kidney disease through patient support, education, advocacy, research, and organ donation awareness. In the Atlantic region, the Foundation supports patients and families across Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador through practical programs and services. A key focus is providing short-term financial assistance to help individuals manage the costs associated with kidney disease, including transportation to treatment, grocery expenses, and other urgent needs. The Foundation also offers peer support, educational resources, and wellness programs to help people navigate their kidney health journey with confidence and dignity.

Quick Links:

• PEI Provincial Renal Program – Health PEI
• Kidney Foundation of Canada – PEI Branch
• Know Your Kidneys – Risk Quiz

Logo, program descriptions, and links on this page are used with the permission of the Kidney Foundation of Canada. For more information about their programs across Atlantic Canada, visit kidney.ca.