We have a winner!

Congratulations to the winner of the RONA MS Bike Tour “Find-a-Bike” social media contest- Leanne Whetstone! On June 25th, she was the first to comment on the final clue and hidden location of the bike on the Ontario RONA MS Bike Tour Facebook page.

Congratulations, Leanne! You win a brand-new Norco VFR TWO bike!

Fundraising Tip: Tune in to Social Media!

The first RONA MS Bike Tour 2010, is only 19 days away! Whether you’re participating in the Grand Bend to London, Acton to Waterloo, Ottawa to Kemptville, Toronto or Niagara Tour, there is still lots of time left to fundraise.

Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter are valuable tools to help you let your friends, family and coworkers know about the RONA MS Bike Tours. You can use online communities to spread the word about the Tours to your social network, and also as a fundraising tool! Connect with your Facebook friends or Twitter followers by keeping them updated on your training and fundraising progress. It can be as simple as mentioning your participation on a status update or a tweet, or sharing a link to your personal online fundraising page.

Visit http://bit.ly/cEdT4n for extra fundraising tips! Good luck!

Happy Canada Day!

The MS Society of Canada would like to wish all our members, sponsors, volunteers and partners a happy Canada Day. On July 1st, we celebrate the history, growth and accomplishments of our country. We’d also like to take a moment to think about the thousands of Canadian families living with multiple sclerosis, and thank all of our supporters for their contributions in the fight to end MS.

Have a great holiday, and stay tuned for news on upcoming RONA MS Bike Tour events this month!

Don't Forget a Bike Inspection

Only 25 days left until the first RONA MS Bike Tour 2010! The Grand Bend to London tour takes place Saturday, July 24th to Sunday, July 25th.

As part of your preparation for the Bike Tours, make sure you take some time to get your bike road ready. Ensure you have a safe, smooth ride on Tour day by visiting an MS Friendly Bike Shop for a FREE bike inspection for all registered participants.

Find your local MS Friendly Bike Shop, and plan to visit them EARLY in the summer to ensure you’re ready to ride.

Registration Fees Increase July 1st

Only one month left before the first Ontario RONA MS Bike Tour 2010!

For those of you who haven’t registered yet, there’s only a week left to take advantage of the last early bird registration before fees go up to regular price on July 1st, 2010. Please note that fees vary by Tour.

Register as an individual rider or form a team with your family, friends, and coworkers. For more information about the Tours, including registration fees, visit http://www.mssociety.ca/ontario/biketour.htm, and select one of our five exciting tours.

Track Your Progress

Getting ready to ride in the RONA MS Bike Tour 2010 means gradually building up your cycling endurance. If you’re new to cycling long distances or simply want to push yourself further, it’s a good idea to set riding goals and slowly work up to them.

If you’re not sure about the distance of routes in your area, try using mapping sites like MapMyRide.com. Use their interactive map to set your start point and end point. Choose your path, and automatically view the distance. Experiment by creating different routes, or browse through local route ideas submitted by other cyclists to keep your training exciting!

Know a great biking route in your area? Share it with us! Leave a comment below, or on our Facebook page.

Boost Your Fundraising!

Looking for a little extra support towards your fundraising for the RONA MS Bike Tours? Check out “Read to End MS,” a partnership between the MS Society of Canada and Chatelaine.

Subscribe today to a Rogers publication of your choice, and 50% of the subscription price will go towards your fundraising for the RONA MS Bike Tours.

Go even further! Invite friends and family to subscribe to a Rogers publication today and 50% of their subscription price will also go towards your fundraising total.

Now you can enjoy your favorite magazine while reaching your fundraising goal. Offer available until October 1st, 2010. Subscribe today at www.mssociety.ca/magazines.