In This Issue From the President WALK A MILE FOR PETE Pedaling for a Cure in Palo Alto, Iowa Sun Shines on Kent Bike & Hike Event “Ride for Pete’s Sake” in Columbus, Albright Honored

Fall 2005 The Spokesman A newsletter of the Pedal-with-Pete Foundation Archives

 
FROM THE PRESIDENT

As president of ‘Pedal-with-Pete’, I once again thank all those of you who have contributed of yourselves and your financial resources.  We exist to provide research for the alleviation of the effects of cerebral palsy.  That is our purpose.  But in order to do that, we exist to urge you to contribute to make that possible.

Bike rides are not our only fundraisers.  Those of you at all familiar with us will recall that during these fall days we support a WALK A MILE campaign.  There is a flier included in this mailing. If you get your walking done and your contribution in by November 10, you will make possible our third $50,000 grant year, and thus, toward bringing our total distribution to over $300,000.  Currently that distribution is being made to Children’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, Dr. Leland Albright;  a pioneer researcher in this field.  Our efforts go a long way toward making his efforts possible.

Once again we urge any one of you who is so inclined to begin a fundraiser in your area on behalf of Pedal-with-Pete.  If you could start a bike event, we are prepared to help. We have some experience!

Thanks again so very much.

George W. Gaiser, President    picture

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WALK A MILE FOR PETE. . . and his friends

Sometime during the month of October, we encourage you to WALK A MILE—or more—(or less)— just because you can.  Walking is something many of us take for granted.  For those with cerebral palsy (CP), placing one foot in front of the other can be a frustrating challenge.  Getting from place to place can take a long time or cannot be done at all without assistance.

Why ‘WALK A MILE’?  To take time to think about the blessing of being able to walk, and while walking, to enjoy the beauty of a fall day.  And then, in gratitude for the ability to walk, consider sending a contribution for CP research.  Your gift can make a difference in finding ways for others to someday WALK A MILE, too.

You may walk wherever or whenever you choose.  Walk around the block, walk in the park, walk with a friend, walk with a neighbor, walk on your lunch break, gather a group and have a walking outing, take the baby for a stroll, walk your dog!  Be creative!  Take a few pictures!  Tell us about your walk.  But most of all, think of those for whom you are walking.

WALK A MILE contributions may be send to Pedal-with-Pete, PO Box 274, Kent OH 44240.  Use the form enclosed with this newsletter.  And thank you—on behalf of Pete and Pedal-with-Pete Team.
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PEDALING FOR A CURE IN PALO ALTO, IOWA

Hi, my name is Neal Norland.I am 13 years old and live on a farm in Cylinder, Iowa.  My county's 4H youth program heard about Pedal-with-Pete from my dad six years ago.  The 4H program decided to dedicate a day for a bike ride for Pedal-with-Pete, as a service project.   This is the sixth year we will ride for Peal-with-Pete.

            This summer I purchased a Sun recumbent trike that I'm pleased to ride on.  This year I am going to ride our Pedal-with-Pete ride for the first time.  In the past I either had botox treatments or didn't want to take my Rock N Roll bike because it's not always a nice day that is planned for the bike ride.  By the time you will get a chance to read this article we will have had a ride for this year. It's always planned on the third Sunday in September.  In the past, the weather has been snowy,  rainy, or windy.   This year it's supposed to be sunny and warm.

            We would like to get more 4H groups to ride with us or have their own ride for Pedal-with-Pete for a service project.  But for this year it will be fun to ride with my family and the other 4H kids from our county.                      Neal M. Norland

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Sun Shines on Kent Bike & Hike Event

    Kent area riders and hikers are a wonderful bunch of People!  For the first time in 3 years it was Sunny and Warm for the annual KENT Bike and Hike Event.  We set a record with  160  participants as riders & walkers,  an numerous volunteers at the 11^th Anniversary Pedal-with-Pete Event on May 21 at Fred Fuller Park in Kent.  T-shirts from the ten previous years were displayed at the shelter; the shirts brought back great memories of past events.  A table loaded with homemade goodies was a popular gathering spot, and lots of pizzas arrived as tired and hungry riders returned to the shelter.

 The riders embarked on routes of 17 miles, 40 miles and a new 60-mile route,  and walkers enjoyed river walk or the paved MetroPark bike & hike trail.  Kent Mayor John Fender drew the winning raffle ticket and Kevin Joestlein became the surprised new owner of a Green Innova 21-speed cross bike from Marty’s Bike Shop in Stow.

 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans was our Lead sponsor again with matching gifts of more than $5,000.  Special recognition goes to the team from Saint-Gobain Inc. and the Wayne’s World team.

 Thank you to all who took part in making the 11^th Annual event a great success.  Your help and dedication raised over $22,000 for cerebral palsy research.  Our applause goes out to you!

 Mark your calendars:

12^th Annual Pedal-with-Pete Bike & Hike Event – May 20, 2006

Fred Fuller Park – Kent, Ohio

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“Ride for Pete’s Sake” in Columbus, OHIO

    After the success of the 2002 "Ride, for Pete's Sake!" the Columbus-area volunteers weren't sure what could be done for an encore. Thanks to a lot of hard work by almost 50 volunteers, the 2003 "Ride, for Pete's Sake!"-or the "Re-Pete" as it was affectionately known-was bigger and better in just about every way.
    More than 300 riders enjoyed the sunny weather - an increase of more than 80% over last year, and a tribute to fabulous publicity from 1OTV (WBNS-TV) and generous promotion from the Columbus-area Bike Source stores. Riders chose from six well- planned, fully supported routes, including a first-ever 100-mile course. The food was great, thanks to a number of food sponsors, especially Chipotle Grill and Panera. There were even more door prizes this year. (See our sponsor list to check out all the generous organizations who helped-and please patronize them!) And the feedback from the riders was overwhelmingly positive.

    But best of all, over $25,000 was raised for CP research-almost double the 2002 total! (This figure, the net proceeds after expenses, represents more than 94% of funds collected.)
 
    What affected the volunteers the most? The half-dozen families touched by CP who came to participate, from as far away as Canton and Bucyrus. Pete was thrilled to meet with Andy, Scarlett, Jack, Ed, and Larry, and two-year-old Gabby sitting on Pete's lap was a sight few of those present will forget. The involvement of these families is one of the things that make the "Ride, for Pete's Sake!" so special.
    Congratulations to a couple of happy riders who left "Ride, for Pete's Sake!" with new bicycles: Michael Feeney took home a Giant Boulder, donated by Bike Source, for raising the most donations - $2031! - and Dennis Hoffer won the raffle bike, a Giant OCR 3touring bike.

    Thanks to all who worked, rode and donated to make the ride such a success! But, will there be a Columbus "Ride, for Pete's Sake!" in 2004? You bet! With such incredible support from the community, and CP research as badly needed as ever, who wants to stop now? Bring on the "Three-Pete"!

and burgers at Hilliard were a big hit, and the lunch at Milford Center, on the 80/100-mile routes, got rave reviews as well.  CD101, who along with WBNS 10TV provided pre-ride promotional spots, brought their ice cream truck – very popular in such hot weather!  Gallons and gallons of water and other drinks, and plenty of ice, kept the heat at bay.  Central Ohio merchants again provided over one hundred door prizes. The Stock Consulting sponsored Savage Hill racing team arrived again and added color, speed and excitement to the morning’s bustle and our small army of over 60 volunteers were everywhere, making it PwP Columbus’s smoothest-run event yet.  With so many riders, we were grateful that we had no serious injuries and that contrary to the forecast, the thunderstorms held off until late afternoon.

Speaking of the weather, the thunderstorms did drench our last riders in on the 100 mile route, Shelly and Kelly who came all the way from North Carolina to participate. They were not about to let a little rain keep them from completing the whole ride!  To make Shelly’s day brighter, she won our special raffle for $500 and over sponsorship collectors (she set a record for sponsorship money with over $3000) and took home round trip tickets donated by Southwest Airlines!  Terry and Susie Taylor won second prize, dinner at a Cameron Mitchell restaurant, and Joyce Wellmeier was delighted to win the bike raffle,  a brand new Cannondale to replace her vintage model.

As always, though, what makes “The Pete” special is the participation by families impacted by CP.  While most of us think about CP for one day a year, these families live with it year-round, and it means a lot to them to have their needs made known and to connect with others who care – to know that they’re not alone. One of the moms of a son with CP wrote after the ride:

“As a parent of a child who is so profoundly involved with this condition and all of the complications that arise for him and us medically, socially, emotionally, & academically, I had never even entertained the idea that there may be ways to dramatically alleviate CP symptoms.  When you first mentioned what Pete was trying to accomplish through his bike-a-thons, I felt like I was listening to a foreign language.  To be honest, it really did not sink in until several months later.  But now, I see the relevancy and the potential for the great things that will come from this …  After my conference in St. Louis this past summer, I feel that CP research is coming of age.  The push is on and parents are starting to unite throughout the country to solve the mysteries.  As an advocate for people with disabilities, I have seen what a handful of people can accomplish with good leadership, raw determination and solidarity.  I am confident that Pete’s grass roots efforts will soon become a milestone beyond his wildest dreams and I hope to be there when it happens.”

Thanks to the generosity of our riders and sponsors, PwP Columbus anticipates contributing, after expenses, about $30,000 to Dr. Albright’s research team.  For that, all of us in Central Ohio thank you.