Ride To Defeat ALS, formerly known as A Positive Spin for ALS, turns 20!
As of the end of the day, raised $190,000...final tally might push it close to $200,000...stay tuned!
This event, dating back to 1995, is the great grandmother of ALS bikeathons. A Positive Spin for ALS was the first bike ride in the country dedicated to raise money for research and direct services to ALS patients. Now known as Ride to Defeat ALS, the rides take place in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington.
Rides of 70, 50, 25 and 10 mile routes all beginning and ending at The Longfellow Club in Wayland, MA to benefit
Massachusetts Chapter ALS Association
September 28, 2014
Riders returning from their respective routes got rousing welcome back cheers from The Hudson Hawks Cheerleading team...9 and 10-year-old girls from Hudson, MA, who cheer for the Town of Hudson's youth football program. VIDEO
who took a short ice cream break after hours of cheering. VIDEO2
Hudson parent Kristine Connor's son Brad, Jr. (14) made the ten-mile ride in memory of Kristine's father, Brad, who died of ALS. Her daughter Rachele (9 )is one of the Hudson Hawks whose upbeat welcome back cheers gave a boost to riders and spectators alike. (Photo top right) This dad rode ten miles trailing his son VIDEO Kristine Connor
Thank you, Sponsors! Lester's BBQ and Legal Seafood's chowder truck provided tasty sustenance to hundreds today.
Long-time Longfellow Club employee Dick Gellis takes on "The Ice Bucket Challenge"...The challenge got national attention when popularized by Boston College former baseball star Pete Frates, diagnosed with ALS at age 29.
"This is for PETE!.." Dick shouted before getting doused, referring to Pete "Wheels" Farricker, brother of Longfellow Club Co-Owner Myke Farricker, who passed away from ALS in 1999. Pete was a world-class frisbee player with The Rude Boys who were so good they have their own Wickipedia page.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_Boys_(Ultimate)
As of August 29, over three million had taken the "Ice Bucket Challenge" raising over 100 million dollars for the ALS Association. Dozens more took the challenge today, including these two young riders and the three members of the band "Tree" who sang while the riders were on the road.
Photo opps, flowers and hugs to returning riders
Team Roy, top fund raisers: Leader Paul Roy, Jr.(third from right,photo above left) and his team raised over $6000 in memory of Paul’s father Roy who died of the disease 8 years ago. His mom, sisters and friends all ride and raise money in Paul Roy’s name and honor. Unidentified team above right.
The food tables with sandwiches, fruit, snacks and drinks. Riders and guests really dug in when the trucks from Lester's Roadside BBQ and Legal Seafood (hot chowder) pulled up next to the tables.
pt with Myke Farricker, Pete's brother. Myke, co-owner of The Longfellow Clubs in Wayland and Natick, has arranged to host the ride at the Wayland club's site. In 2003, a ride an ALS fund raising bike event held at the Wayland club was merged with Paul Tamburello's "A Positive Spin for ALS," which began in 1995.
A Positive Spin for ALS was the first bike ride in the country dedicated to raise money for research and direct services to ALS patients. Now known as Ride to Defeat ALS, the rides take place in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington.
Ron Wallace of Lexington and his family. Ron was introduced by MC Emily Riemer of WCVB TV Channel 5 and bravely spoke of his ALS and support of the MA Chapter.
Treats for bodies and ears! Massage provided to grateful riders by Elements Massage of Wayland; recorded music provided by Mr.Jonathan. "I don't have a playlist. I have a sense of what song or music fits with the moment and play it," he says. Nobody does it better.
MC Emily Riemer of WCVB TV Channel 5, media sponsor of Ride To Defeat ALS, organizes riders, friends and families for a video to be played on Channel 5's Eye Opener the next morning. Executive Director Lynn Aaronson of the MA Chapter ALS Association (standing on right, photo on right above). VIDEO
Prizes given for groups raising the most money ...plus a huge scrumptious cake baked by The Prince Street Café and Bakery to celebrate!
Without scores of volunteers, this event doesn't happen. And without Jodie Dogner, who flew in from Chicago to supervise the ride for the third year in a row, it doesn't happen as smoothly. This woman is positively unflappable, a problem solver and buoyant force of the first order.
Myke, pt and Phil "Guido" Adams (left), alums of The 1982 Rude Boys Ultimate Frisbee Team and teammate of Pete "Wheels" Farricker. Pete was so respected that the US Ultimate Frisbee Organization created a "Spirit of the Game" award in his name. "The Farricker Spirit Award is given to the player in the open division of the USA Ultimate's Club Championship Series adjudged to have exhibited personal responsibility, integrity, and fairness combined with a high standard of playing ability."
For nearly ten years, Pete's former team members have organized "Spirit Rides" to raise money for various causes. They're a pretty inventive bunch and have stretched the definition of "rides" as they've gotten, ahem, older. "We put on events on the date of the Ride all over the USA and Hawaii: Marin County; Los Angeles; Park City, Utah; Dallas; Atlanta; Virginia; Connecticut; Northhampton, MA; Martha’s Vineyard; Philadelphia; Long Island. We’ve danced on beaches, put baseball cards in our kids’ bike wheels and had them ride through our neighborhoods, played disc golf, ridden our own bikes, and held walks," Adams says to describe the various fund raisers.
Today, 15 of Pete''s friends, former teammates and their families rode to honor his memory. They presented the ALS Association with a check for $10,000.
Pete, remembered by Golf Digest Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Jerry Tarde, was the highly-regarded Equipment Editor of the Connecticut based magazine. The 25-mile ride is named in his honor.
This old banner still flies near the entrance to The Longfellow Club in Wayland weeks before the annual bike ride. The spirit of both rides is the same: find a cure. Since 2003 the success of the ride has been insured as the Longfellow Club, under the leadership of Pete's brother Myke, has provided the location for the day's events.
Photos and videos by Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.
NIce, Paul. I was a member of Longfellow for about 20 years and have donated for Myke/Pete for a long time. Great work!
Posted by: Susan Sullivan | October 01, 2014 at 11:24 AM
Awesome!!! So glad you still were a part of it! I have fond memories of stamping envelopes, folding letters and mailing them with you when I lived on Homer Ave. Ugh to the apt. Woo-hoo to have a friend like you come over and make the place a bit nicer if not just for that evening.
Posted by: Diana Cullum-Dugan | October 01, 2014 at 11:33 AM