Strength in Numbers

I was inspired by more than a few friends who participated in the LiveStrong Seattle Challenge last year.  I decided to do the ride myself this summer to help raise money and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  Like many people, I have close friends and family who have battled and survived cancer.  More people need to know that cancer is no longer the death sentence that it once was.  You can fight it, and you don't have to fight it alone.

I registered for the ride last winter and just a few months later, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer.  He was ready to fight it, despite it's advanced stage, however other complications with his health were compounded by the cancer and he lost his battle before it ever really  began.  His death just two months later was a huge loss to my family.

My friend Blaine, who visited from Colorado for the Courage Classic last summer, ended up at our house on vacation over the LiveSTRONG weekend in June.  Rather than hang out while I rode the course, Blaine signed up for the ride, too, and raised over twice as much money as me.  It was a dreary, rainy day (in fact, the darkest June day in Seattle in 15 years) and we opted for the 45 mile course.  We rode along with John, another friend who signed up at the last minute and who's family has had it's share of losses to cancer over the years.  It was humbling to ride behind riders decorated with "Survivor" tags and certainly motivated us to overcome the small discomfort that the weather provided.

Many thanks to everyone who donated to my fundraising effort and who rode or supported the ride.

  

Three More Reasons to Ride

There are many great reasons to ride bikes, but I need to tell you about three of them.

This summer I will ride in three fundraising events for causes that I am personally committed to supporting with my time, sweat, voice, and pocket book.  If you feel compelled to support these causes with your own pocket book, the buttons to the right make donating online easy.  I've already paid the registration fees, so 100% of your donation will directly support the cause.  All of my fundraising goals are set at twice the required minimum for participants.  This is no small task and I would greatly appreciate your support on any of these challenging rides.  Many thanks.

Courage Classic - Cascade Mountains - 174 miles, 3 days   (donate here)
The ride supports a Rotary Club endowment for the Child Abuse Intervention Department at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma.  The endowment is the single largest source of funding for this department and without it, many abused children in Pierce County would not have anyone advocating for their safety and well-being.  This will be the third year that I've participated in this event.  In previous years I've ridden my Xtracycle, but if you'd like to make a huge pledge in exchange for me doing an insanely stupid human trick (like riding my bucket bike over three mountain passes), email me with your proposal! (matt dot newport gmail)

LiveStrong Challenge - Seattle - 100 miles, 1 day    (donate here)
We've all been affected by cancer somehow, if not personally than through people we know and love.  My sister-in-law survived Hodgkin's lymphoma in her twenties.  My grandfather survived prostate cancer.  I ride bikes with a breast cancer survivor.  These battles for survival are tough, but they do not need to be fought alone.  The Lance Armstrong Foundation provides cancer resources and support to help more people survive cancer.  This is what the yellow bracelets are all about - helping people to fight cancer and win.

Wheels to Meals - Puyallup Valley - 75 miles, 1 day   (donate here)
This ride supports the largest food bank in Pierce County, St. Leo Food Connection.  Food Connection also runs other programs in the area to help fight hunger, notably their Backpack Program that gives weekend meals to elementary school students during the school year.  Recently they've started a fruit orchard so that they can provide locally produced food for their clients.  I will personally donate $5 for every person that makes a donation through my site before June 6!

Again, thanks for reading and for your support!

-Matt