Sep 22, 2009
Pre-registration Night at Saturn of Newark
Carla Koss
Majority of expected 1,500 participants register in advance and kick off the party for the premier cycling event in Delaware
On Thursday, October 1, 2009, a majority of the 1,500 cyclists expected to participate in the 26th annual Bike MS: NRG Energy Indian River Power Plant Bike to the Bay will drop in on Saturn of Newark at 1801 Ogletown Road in Newark. Their goal? To pre-register for Bike to the Bay, enjoy several slices of pizza, and get the party started for the premier cycling event in Delaware.
“The people of Saturn of Newark have generously donated the food and the space so we can pre-register the folks who want to ride in Bike to the Bay,” explains Holly Maddams, the director of development at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Delaware Chapter, the organization responsible for coordinating the two-day event. “Not only is the space large enough to accommodate all of us, but it also helps create the party mood that this event is so well known for. At pre-registration, we get the nuts and bolts of participating in the event out of the way, so all the cyclists need to do is enjoy themselves.”
For more information, call (302) 655-5610. Or visit www.BikeToTheBay.org.
About the event
Taking place on October 3–4, 2009, Bike to the Bay receives significant support from NRG Energy and the Indian River Power Plant: with a team of fundraising cyclists, as the sponsor for the Ellendale rest stop, and as the title sponsor. The complete event name is now Bike MS: NRG Energy Indian River Power Plant Bike to the Bay in association with Bank of America.
A choice of rides—Bike to the Bay actually comprises five rides on Saturday, October 3. The 17-mile ride begins at the famous Uncle Ted’s rest stop in Milton. The 45-mile ride begins at Lake Forest High School in Felton. And the 75- and 100-mile rides begin at the Terry Campus of Delaware Technical & Community College in Dover. The ever-popular 150-mile ride also begins at DelTech, but the cyclists on this ride retrace the route back to Dover on Sunday, October 4.
Fundraising support—Whether riding as an individual or in a team, each Bike to the Bay cyclist receives a lot of fundraising support from the Delaware Chapter. Cyclists who raise more than $550 earn great prizes, including high-quality commemorative gear and gift certificates from local bike shops. The overall goal is to raise $1 million for MS research and the programs and services needed by more than 1,500 Delawareans with multiple sclerosis.
Support on the road—More than 200 compassionate and highly competent Delaware Chapter volunteers work tirelessly over Bike to the Bay’s 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 1,500 Delawareans, 400,000 Americans, and more than 2.1 million people 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 www.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 www.nationalMSsociety.org or at 800-FIGHT-MS (800-344-4867). In Delaware, call (302) 655-5610. Or visit www.MSdelaware.org.