Countdown to MS Bike – Acton! 3 days away!!

MS Bike – Acton is only 3 days away and some of our riders are already geared up and ready to go!

Top fundraiser Scott Davis, has been hard at work training for MS Bike - Acton. Since the start of the year, Scott has already participated in two #MSBike events —Grand Bend to London and the 2013 Tour of Champions in Florida. Find out more about the Acton rider’s mission to end MS one pedal at a time via the Waterloo Region Record http://bit.ly/18Zo9ur

 

MS Bike Team Captain Profile – Ron Hay

MS Bike – Grand Bend to London holds a special place in Ron’s heart. “My best friend’s wife has MS and I spent summers growing up in Grand Bend,” says Ron, who also participates in the Niagara tour. “I ride not only for her, but for others who live with MS.”

Ron’s team, Steve’s Cycle Paths, started out with a group of co-workers.  The team participates in many charitable rides and first joined the MS Bike in 2011.  Since then, the team has grown to include close to thirty members made up of friends and family; raising over $15,000 to-date for people living with MS. 

For Ron, raising funds for the MS Bike is important in improving the quality of life for people with the disease. “I’ve watched my friend go from being a very physically active person, to someone who suffers daily with pain and mobility. I want her to be able to move again.” says Ron. “I want to end MS.” 

As Team Captain, Ron helps his team prepare for the MS Bike by holding weekly team rides. “After a long winter, no one has really been on their bike, so we have our team rides on Friday afternoons,” he says.  In the weeks leading up to the MS Bike, the team holds barbecues and other get-togethers as they gear up to end MS. “The MS Bike is something that we all look forward to as a team. It’s really a lot of fun.”

With MS Bike fast approaching, Ron hopes to increase his team’s fundraising. “The MS Bike not only raises money for people living with the disease, but it’s also a way for us to raise awareness. It’s an opportunity for us to do something for those who are close to us.”

Meet MS Bike Participant Anita Trusler

 Anita Trusler’s passion for cycling and a desire to help her community led her to form a team and join the MS Bike. “Many of my team mates have a connection to MS,” says Anita. “The MS Bike seemed like a natural fit.” She joined the MS Bike – Grand Bend to London tour three years ago with her team, the Sarnia GoodLife Cycle-delics.

As a spin class instructor at GoodLife, Anita recruited friends, family and GoodLife members to be part of her team. The Cycle-delics started out with 21 cyclists and raised close to $17,000 in their first year.  Since then, the team has grown to include close to 60 members; raising over $69,000 to date for people touched by MS. “Both years, our team had the top rookie fundraiser of the Grand Bend to London tour - David Palmer in 2011 and  Jeff Burchill in 2012,” says Anita. “I’m very proud of our team.”

This February, Anita was named winner of the Share the Love contest in recognition for her outstanding work as a Team Captain. “It’s incredible to read so many wonderful nominations from my teammates,” says Anita. “Preparing for the MS Bike is a lot of work, but receiving this honour makes it all worthwhile.”

As Team Captain, Anita helps her team prepare for the MS Bike by hosting weekly spin classes.  She also hosts outdoor training rides and get-togethers at local pubs to ensure that her team is geared up and ready to go for event day. “Being a Team Captain is incredible. My team mates look to me to organize everything, and it’s great to have that responsibility,” she says.

With MS Bike right around the corner, Anita hopes that her team will continue to grow this year.  “Rumour has it that we might be close to a hundred team members this year,” says Anita.  “The motivation to end MS has grown even more.”

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.

“Your Impact” – Beth’s Story

Have you had a chance to explore the MS Society of Canada’s “Your Impact” campaign, in which people living with multiple sclerosis talk about what most impacts their lives?

One of the profile stories is about Beth, who emphasizes the importance of having as many options as possible when choosing a course of treatment for MS.

After reviewing her options with her neurologist, she says:

“I am happy with my choice of therapy and am facing the future with more confidence. I now have hope that people living with MS will have more options for treatment and the freedom to make the choice that is right for them.”

Like you, Beth enjoys biking. You can use your hobby to support Beth and other people living with MS by gearing up and raising funds toward MS research in the 2013 MS Bike Tour.

Rider Profile: It’s only getting better for Team Captain Keefe Valladares

When Keefe Valladares and his colleagues at Bombardier wanted to help members of their community, they decided to form a team and register for the MS Bike Tour for the first time. “We wanted this to be a team event and an opportunity to get to know one another outside of work,” says Keefe. “We also wanted to support a good cause, and the MS Society was our choice.”

His nine-member team participated in the inaugural MS Bike Tour – Prince Edward County on July 8, 2012.  Together, they raised more than $7000 for people affected by MS through a $1000 gift from their employer, Bombardier Transportation, 50/50 draws, jeans day in their office and reaching out to friends and family.

“What I really stressed to anyone I asked for donations, is that people with MS are not the only ones being affected by this disease; the people around them are impacted as well. By raising funds, we are also supporting their loved ones,” says Keefe.

As a relatively new cyclist, Keefe found the Tour to be a positive experience.  “We were lucky to have had great weather.  Prince Edward County is a short drive away from Kingston, but it was great to get out and see a different area,” says Keefe.  As for the future, he has already lined up cyclists for next year’s Tour, adding, “next year will only get better!”

Are you looking forward to the 2013 MS Bike season? Tell us why on Facebook or Twitter!

Rider Profile: Doug Fortin, Love at First Cycle

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 11 years ago, Doug Fortin feels more comfortable on a bike than on two feet.

“Take me to the mall, and I’ll be sitting on a bench in minutes,” Doug says. “But on a bike, I can go forever.” Before his diagnosis, Doug enjoyed a physically active career in manufacturing. As his disease progressed, he transitioned to office work within the same company. “It’s a hit when you see other people doing something you used to love,” Doug says. “The MS Bike Tour was something I could accomplish while raising awareness about a cause that’s important to me.”

An avid cyclist since he was a teenager, Doug discovered the MS Bike Tour seven years ago through a Gearing Up newsletter. Given the choice between a shorter ride and a longer one, Doug chooses the more challenging 55 km Toronto Tour around Etobicoke’s Centennial Park. While reminding himself that the tour isn’t a race, Doug finishes every ride knowing he has pushed himself and made a difference.  His fundraising focuses on building awareness through networking and word of mouth, which seems to have worked – the top participant has raised $20,000 since his first ride.

During the winter, Doug keeps up with training for the MS Bike Tour using parabolic rollers, which allows him to keep his balance on his bike indoors. For Doug, an active lifestyle is essential to keeping busy and maintaining a positive outlook. “To finish the Bike Tour can be very emotional for me,” Doug says. “I made it, I didn’t fall and my wife is waiting for me at the finish line. When it comes down to it, I do the MS Bike Tour because I still can.”

Why do you participate in the MS Bike Tour? Share your own story on Facebook or Twitter!

Port Colborne resident is gearing up for the MS Bike Tour ̶ Niagara!

Larry Peyton is gearing up for his eighth year in the MS Bike Tour ̶ Niagara! He began participating in the Tour in 2004 when his son Jeff was diagnosed with MS.

Read more about Larry’s story via  niagarathisweek.com - http://bit.ly/O3QnwK.

Mac MacLellan: Dedicated Tour Leader and participant in nearly 60 MS Bike Tours

Mac MacLellan has been a dedicated MS Bike Tour volunteer for over 20 years and a Tour Leader for the past 18 years. He became a volunteer after participating in his first MS Bike Tour ̶ Brampton to Guelph in 1990 where he says the dedication of the staff and volunteers inspired him to get involved.

“[Volunteering for the MS Bike Tour] is about doing something for someone who can't and supporting fundraising for new treatments and especially a cure for MS,” Mac says. “Over the years I’ve met so many individuals, who I now consider loved ones, who have to endure this debilitating disease daily, but who handle all that comes their way with such dignity,” he continues. “Giving my time as a Tour Leader is my small way of saying 'thanks' to the hundreds of cyclists who are making a difference to those individuals.”

In addition to volunteering, Mac is also a dedicated fundraiser and has participated as a cyclist in nearly 60 Tours over the years. “I really enjoy the sense of achievement that the riders have when they cross the finish line and the fact that we are coming together to raise funds and awareness for such an important cause.”

This year Mac joined a team of dedicated volunteers and staff at the inaugural MS Bike Tour Prince Edward County on July 8 (he was the first person to register as a participant of the Tour!). Over 200 cyclists united to embark on a 75 km ride through Picton and raised over $135,000 in support of programs, services and research for those living with MS. “The smaller scale route, the serenity and beauty of Prince Edward County and the respectfulness of drivers along the route,” says Mac, were just some of the highlights that set this Tour apart from the rest. “Overall it was a very successful event and the great group of volunteers and staff played a vital role in achieving that success.”

To join the MS Bike Tour as a volunteer, please contact Nicole Dube at 1-800-268-7582 ext. 3111 or volunteer@mssociety.ca.

Please join us in welcoming team ‘Cycling to end MS’ to Toronto!

Christopher Schrader, Adrian Cortes and Zachary Nevin are currently cycling across Canada to raise funds for the MS Society.  They have come all the way from Vancouver, BC, and will end their route in Dalhousie, NS, for a total of over 6,000km. The team is cycling in honour of Zachary’s uncle, Peter, who has lived with MS for over 15 years. Read more about Cycling to end MS.

The team has a fundraising goal of $100,000. As of now, they’ve raised over $26,000. The cyclists are part of the Youth Endurance Network, an international organization that promotes philanthropy through sport. Here is a link to their route. They are also filming a documentary of their trip.

Thank you to team Cycling to end MS for the incredible journey they have undertaken for the MS Society and for people living with MS.

MS Society of Canada salutes our Top Fundraisers!

Congratulations to our Ontario MS Bike Tour top fundraisers Scott Davis, Tims Sutherns, Barry Travnicek and David Wilton, and fellow Canadians from across the county Brad Dick, Gilles Dionne, Chris Fillmore, Verna Haiden, Kevin James Ken Kerr, Paul Paridaen, Pete Samson and Greg Van Tighem on their amazing fundraising efforts in support of the 2011 MS Bike Tour. Their teams raised $10,000+ and will be participating in the Tour of Champions this weekend in beautiful Cape Cod!

These “Champions” will join over 2000 riders from across North America on June 23 and 24 for a fun filled weekend, as they ride the picturesque route from Cape Cod to Provincetown. The Cape Cod Getaway is the largest

MS ride in New England, hosted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

in the US.

Good luck to our MS Bike Tour fundraising Champions!

"Mama April" ensures an outstanding team experience

Since taking on the role of team captain of Lambton Financial Credit Union in 2006, April Williams has made the Grand Bend to London Tour an outstanding experience for her team.

April arranges for delivery of team members' luggage to their rooms, along with room keys and meal tickets, so that weary team members can skip check-in at the finish line.

The team is then invited to a "host room", complete with snacks and beverages, where they can relax together before dinner. And for the ultimate finish line perk, April arranges for the team to have its own massage therapist in their TeamMS Village tent.

April is even willing to give up her own cycling experience for the benefit of the group. Last year, faced with a shortage of team volunteers, she forfeited her own ride to coordinate things for her team.

Averaging more than 20 members each year, the team has raised more than $44,000 in the past six years. Lambton Financial Credit Union is a strong supporter of the team, providing team jerseys and even paying everyone's registration fee.

The team is as committed to April as she is to them. April was the winner of the MS Society's "Share the Love" promotion in February, which asked riders to share what makes their team captain great. April "really truly cares about people, and wants to make sure everyone has the very best time and we're all very well cared for," according to nominator Mike Murphy.

"Because I do the ride myself, I know what a difference the little things can make," April says. "I'll do whatever I can to take care of the team and make everybody's weekend a little bit more special."

Helmets off to the 2011 Tour of Champions!

Our helmets go off to the eleven Tour of Champion cyclists who are riding in the Jack Daniel’s “Bike to Jack and Back” Bike MS in Tennessee this weekend. The 2011 Tour of Champions is a group of RONA MS Bike Tour top fundraisers from across the country who have raised an astonishing $10,000 dollars or more in 2010, and chosen this as their fundraising prize.

This dedicated group of fundraisers, including Scott Davis and Barry Travnicek from Ontario will unite in Franklin, Tennessee where they will ride October 1-2 to their final destination – Lynchburg, Tennessee. We wish all the cyclists a safe and exuberant journey! Thank you for helping us in the fight to end MS.

The 2012 Tour of Champions, Cape Cod Getaway will take place June 23-24, 2012 from Boston to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Become a top fundraiser and join this illustrious group of cyclists. For more information please contact Lori Anne McNulty at Lorianne.McNulty@mssociety.ca.