Sep 11, 2009
Cyclists Hit the Road to Help Create a World Free of Multiple Sclerosis
Great New Jersey Country Bike MS Ride Rolls Through Morris and Somerset Counties
New Jersey –– This weekend, the New Jersey Metro Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society hosts the 22nd Annual Great New Jersey County Bike MS Ride, with approximately 700 cyclists pedaling varying lengths through Morris and Somerset Counties. Participants ride the 20, 50, or 100-mile rides on both Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th, with the ultimate goal of raising over $900,000 dollars for MS services and programs that directly benefit the lives of 13,000 people in New Jersey and 400,000 people nationwide suffering with MS.
“The inspirational cyclists and volunteers that come out to support the Great New Jersey Country Bike MS Ride, combined with the beautiful backdrop of New Jersey quiet country roads and quaint towns, make the ride an unforgettable experience for all,” said Jennifer Hivry, Senior Director Bike and Walk MS for the National MS Society – New Jersey Metro Chapter. “For 22 years, the Great New Jersey Country Bike MS Ride has been a crucial part of helping the 13,000 New Jersey residents and over 400,000 people nationwide move forward in their lives.”
The ride is hailed as one of the premier cycling events in the area. Riders are treated to a first-class bike ride complete with mechanical support, clearly marked routes, terrific food and snacks provided by BJ’s Wholesale Club of Ledgewood and supportive volunteers with post-event parties. On Saturday, September 12, 20-, 50-, and 100-mile courses begin at the Advance Realty - Southgate Building at 445 South Street in Morristown. All rides wind their way to the Parsippany Hilton for the day end party and comedy show. Sunday September 13 the 100 mile course will continue while a new group of 50 mile riders will join the fun and cycle their way through the course back to Morristown.
The Great New Jersey Country Bike MS Ride is the second leg of the NJ Metro Chapter’s three-part Bike MS Ride Series. The “Coast the Coast” Ride took place in May of this year and the “Hops to Hops” ride will finish off the series on September 27 in Lambertville, NJ.
For more information about Bike MS, please contact Jennifer Hivry at (201) 967-5599 or visit bikenjm.nationalmssociety.org.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We mobilize people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. In 2007 alone, through our home office and 50 state network of chapters, we devoted over $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 over $50 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW.
Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867. For more information about Bike MS or to make a donation please contact the New Jersey Metro Chapter at (201) 967-5599 or (732) 660-1005 or visit us online at bikenjm.nationalmssociety.org.
About Multiple Sclerosis
• Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system.
• Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The advancement, 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 more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease.
• MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.5 million worldwide.
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Join the movement at nationalMSsociety.org