Jun 15, 2009
Ambassador Program reaches out to Kent & Sussex cyclists
Carla Koss
You may have seen them! Focused and pedaling, hugging the side of the road, they are cyclists in training. And if they are wearing blue and white jerseys that say “bike to the bay.org,” they are part of a small group of athletically gifted and generous individuals who are devoting their time and energy not only to raising funds for MS but also to acting as ambassadors for the Delaware Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
In the year since the chapter initiated the Ambassador Program, New Castle County has been canvassed for avid, long-distance cyclists. To date, 15 men and women have agreed to be “riding billboards” by wearing a new Ambassador Program jersey during their training rides. “We asked them to wear their jerseys between July 15 and the weekend of Bike to the Bay, which is October 3 through 4 this year,” notes Jennie Welch, the chapter’s event coordinator. “Each cyclist has also adopted a favorite bike shop, creating a one-on-one relationship and supplying Bike MS materials—15 goes to 15!”
The chapter is now looking for more cyclists from Kent and Sussex counties to join the Ambassador Program. “We hope to expand the program so it reaches across Delaware,” explains Holly Maddams, M.P.A., the chapter’s development director. “We need the cyclists from lower Delaware because our two-day event takes place in their back yards. They know their bike shops as well as the area. We would like them to become the chapter’s eyes and ears, so we can continue Bike to the Bay’s history as the premier cycling event in Delaware.
“The jersey displays only information easily seen on the roadway,” adds Maddams. “The New Castle cyclists loved the idea when we approached them with it. We couldn’t get the jerseys to them fast enough. We hope the cyclists in Kent and Sussex love them, too.”
For more information about the Ambassador Program, call Jennie Welch at (302) 655-5610, ext. 15, or email your quiry to jennie.welch@MSdelaware.org.
About the 2009 Bike MS: NRG Energy Indian River Power Plant Bike to the Bay
A long name for a good cause—New to the event last year, NRG Energy and the Indian River Power Plant continue to support the event in a big way: with a team of cyclists, as the sponsor for the Ellendale rest stop, and as the lead sponsor of the event. Because of this generous support, the company’s name has been incorporated into the event’s name, but more importantly, more of every dollar raised through the event will go directly to support more than 1,500 Delawareans living with MS as well as research into the cause of MS and, eventually, the cure.
A choice of rides—The event actually comprises four rides. The 25K begins at 1:00 P.M. at the famous Uncle Ted’s rest stop on Route 88 in Milton. The 45-mile ride begins at 11:00 A.M. at the Lake Forest High School in Felton. And the 75-mile ride begins at 8:00 A.M. at the Terry Campus of Delaware Technical & Community College in Dover. The ever-popular 150-mile ride also begins at 8:00 A.M. at DelTech, but the cyclists on this ride retrace the route back to Dover on Sunday, October 4.
Fundraising support—Hoping to raise $1 million in this year’s event, the Delaware Chapter supports the cyclists’ fundraising efforts in a big way. After registering for the event, each cyclist receives everything needed to collect contributions and stay motivated. Cyclists who raise more than $550 earn great prizes, including high-quality commemorative gear and gift certificates from local bike shops.
Support on the road—More than 200 compassionate and highly competent Delaware Chapter volunteers work tirelessly over the two-day weekend to maintain a safe and enjoyable route for all the bicyclists. These volunteers also set up and man rest stops every 10 to 12 miles along the route. Each rest stop is well stocked with beverages, fruit, and high-energy snacks. Professional bike mechanics and support-and-gear wagons constantly patrol the route for cyclists in need. If necessary, the cyclist and his or her gear are transported to the end of the ride. And overnight accommodations in Rehoboth Beach hotels are also available. In other words, the Delaware Chapter tries to anticipate and meet the cyclists’ every need.
About multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often-disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS.
Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50 with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and more than 2.1 million worldwide.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving; the National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2007 alone, through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, we devoted more than $136 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested more than $50 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS—NOW.
Join the movement at nationalMSsociety.org.
Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about the options by talking to a health-care professional and then contacting the National MS Society at nationalMSsociety.org or at 800-FIGHT-MS (800-344-4867).
In Delaware, call (302) 655-5610. Or visit www.MSdelaware.org.