From Toronto to the end of the world: How one motorcycle journey became a record-breaking fundraiser

Parked on a remote desert highway during Alexander's charity fundraising ride from Toronto to Ushuaia.

What started as a solo motorcycle trip to the tip of South America became the biggest fundraiser in the history of YWCA’s Inspirations Studio—and Gearbox was proud to help shape the story every step of the way.

Alexander Croney set out from Toronto with a mission: to ride his motorcycle all the way to Ushuaia, Argentina, and raise funds and awareness for YWCA Toronto's Inspirations Studio—a unique ceramics-based program that empowers marginalized women through the transformative act of making and selling their own pottery. As someone who has had to overcome his own battles, and recognizing that there were far fewer options for women, Alexander's ride was personal, purposeful, and ambitious.

From Toronto to Ushuaia, Alexander’s solo journey spanned over 22,000 km and 13 countries.

Gearbox worked closely with Alexander to bring his journey, and its cause, to life.

We started with the digital foundation. We designed and built the fundraising website and refreshed Alexander’s personal site, croney.ca, where we hosted a weekly blog chronicling his journey. Every week, Alexander sent over audio updates and photo libraries from the road. We took those raw materials and turned them into crafted narratives that captured the heart of his journey: the highs and lows of riding solo, the people he met, the landscapes he crossed, and always, the thread tying it all back to Inspirations Studio. Each post was transcribed and carefully edited to stay true to Alexander's tone of voice and personal brand, preserving the authenticity of his reflections while structuring them into a compelling story arc.

Our weekly blog process helped shape raw travel updates into emotionally resonant stories that supported the fundraising cause.

We also created a video ad for the campaign—from concept to script, to shoot and final edit. It quickly became one of our favourite parts of the project. Seeing it all come together, and people react to it, was incredibly rewarding. When the ad played at TMFF, the Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival, it received a round of applause. That moment, seeing a room full of riders and film lovers connect with the story, was unforgettable. The video gave the initiative a wider platform and emotional impact that helped drive donations.

To help amplify the campaign, we produced this short video that played online and screened at TMFF.

Offline, we extended the experience with tactile touchpoints: designing postcards Alexander could hand out ahead of his trip to raise awareness, sponsor thank-you cards, and a live Q&A event hosted upon his return. The event combined candid conversation with projected imagery from his ride, and gave sponsors a deeper look into where their support went—and why it mattered.

In total, Alexander raised $29,400, making this the largest fundraiser ever for YWCA Toronto's Inspirations Studio. That number is a testament not just to the power of storytelling and design, but to the incredible generosity of those who believed in the mission.

Sometimes, helping a brand, or a cause, stand out isn't about slick tactics. It’s about crafting something honest and moving, then sharing it in a way that makes people care.

We’re proud to have helped make this journey unforgettable.

Got a story that deserves to be heard? Let’s turn your passion project into something unforgettable. Schedule a call and let’s talk about what we can build together.