Big Laugh? Big Smile!

If you told me back in 2017 that I would participate in a challenge for 8 years to log over 1600 miles on a bike while raising over $50,000, I would have laughed hard.

As the month of September concludes, we are nearing the end of the 2024 Great Cycle Challenge. And thanks to you, instead of a laugh, I have a big smile!

As I complete my eighth year in taking part in this challenge, I reflect on how we have raised awareness, prayers, and funds to fight kids’ cancer while allowing me to “get on my bike and ride.” I am blessed to have so many wonderful and amazing friends, family, and supporters! Yes, over $50k in eight years.

Current totals for the overall 2024 challenge – 20,938 people joined the movement, raising $7.3m to fight kids’ cancer and pedaling almost 1.9 million miles.

For me in 2024, keep the number “71” in mind.

I turned 71 yesterday.

With a miles goal of 71, I doubled that this year.

I am so proud and honored to share that 71 sponsors joined me this year. Together we raised $12,215.

For the ranking of donations across the nation, our numbers show: 22nd across all the participants, 8th in the 66–75-year-old age group and 2nd in the state of IL

I hope you understand how much I appreciate your support of this cause and me.

Will I do this again next year? We can sort that out later.

Onward!

Sometimes you never know how you will get there

Yes, another update from me. I will keep this short.

Earlier this year, when I used my prior goal setting method of 1 more dollar and 1 more sponsor than the prior year, I wasn’t sure I would ever get there.

Waking up this morning, the board shows we have 68 sponsors donating $11,864. That is 2 more sponsors and $24 more dollars than we did in 2023. WOW! And a few of you have donated more than once to support this cause.

68 sponsors! I am humbled by all your support.

I wanted to highlight 3 sponsors.

Many of you know the friends we have lost in the last 4 years, who are riding along with me – Pat Milbourne, Tim Cigrang and Tim Gillespie. I am honored by 3 of my friends in the donor lineup again this year – Jan, Donna and Karen – the spouses of our dear friends.

Onward!

Week #3 done but the challenge continues.....

We are into the last week of the Great Cycle Challenge for 2024. This is that time where friends and family are probably tired of my GCC posts. As the kids with cancer and their families never give up, I will keep at it until the month is up. Thanks for putting up with me.

The bike did find the trails 2 times this week, as other fun stuff like kayaks and golf and beer trails and kids came up. The miles keep adding up, as do the sponsors and donations.

Keep thinking about these kids!

Week #2 done …… and the beat goes on……

It has been a busy week for all.

The 21k participants involved in this total challenge have donations of $6.4 million, with 882k miles pedaled across the USA. It was a great Match Day for the GCC, with $3.3 million raised on Tuesday.

And me? My goals for the year were the same as in the past – add one more sponsor and one more dollar than I did the year before. In 2023, I had 66 sponsors, who raised $11,844.

So far in 2024, our 61 sponsors have achieved $10,674. THANK YOU! Take a moment to pat yourself on the back.

My miles? My goal of 71 miles is related to the age I will be at the end of the month. The bike has logged 121 miles, and I will keep riding.

Feel free to share my info with others to raise awareness, funds, and prayers.

The picture attached? Our niece Caite made this flag for us last year. It is proudly displayed near our front door.

Thanks for being on my team and helping these kids and this cause.

Mid-Week #2: two updates

1. I had shared the idea of Match Day, which occurred on Tuesday 9/10. Never could I have imagined the results.

Overall, for the entire Great Cycle Challenge group of over 20,000 participants, the dollar total went up by $3.3m, with $1.5m of matching funds added to the $1.8m raised from individual donors.

How about for us? 15 sponsors added their names to my list, who donated $2200. And matching funds from the Cancer Research Fund totaled $1850. Or a total in 1 day of $4050. And now 61 sponsors are on the roster for us, with total contributions over $10,000. This involvement by all of you shows us remarkably high on all the leaderboards you might see out there.

I cannot express strongly enough my appreciation for this level of participation.

THANK YOU!

2. Open disclosure – I did double dip during this month. No, not a Seinfeld bit.

Besides Cancer awareness during the month of September, it is also Heart month. So, I signed up to do 100-mile bike fundraiser for the American Heart Association. I completed 100 miles on Tuesday morning. Yes, sharing miles.

It is appropriate that my focus on bike riding over the years helped me with the Heart challenge. As many of you know, my heart issues that arose in January 2023 had a great outcome, primarily related to the exercise over the years on the bike.