Guys and Gals: A 1000 Plus – Gearing up to end MS

Alex Romanowich and his daughter first joined MS Bike in 2001. “My decision to join was partly selfish,” says Alex. At the time, he had just purchased a bike and wanted to make use of it. He then realized he knew many people who lived with MS, and began seeing MS Bike as a way to help end the disease.

Alex recalls his first MS Bike experience as being “incredible”. It was during this ride that he and his daughter met Peter Karelse and John Marshall, two other cyclists. The group became friends and in 2002 they formed an MS Bike team, 3 Guys and a Gal. Together they were able to raise $1400.

Ten years later the team has been renamed “Guys and Gals: A 1000 Plus” and includes eight riders. Each year, they dedicate their ride to someone with MS. “No matter who you talk to, someone knows someone who has MS,” says Alex, whose close friend, Ann, lived with MS for 30 years before passing away.

Every year Alex challenges his teammates to raise a minimum of $1000 each. To date, they’ve raised an outstanding $193,755 for people living with MS. Over the last decade, Alex has personally raised $56,000.

With the 2013 MS Bike just around the corner, Alex is hoping his team will continue to grow. At 71 years old, he hopes to continue riding until he’s 75. “I’m not riding for myself anymore. I’m riding for people with MS.”

If you’re interested in registering for MS Bike or forming a team, head to www.msbike.ca. Share your own stories from MS Bike on our Facebook and twitter pages.