Thank You for Donating to the MS Society in 2008

   The end of the year also ends the 2008 MS Society fundraising.  I wanted to share my thanks with everyone that contributed and supported my efforts this year, as well as some of the final totals we achieved with your help.  It was a great bike ride and event.  I want to give a special thanks to my mom Judy and my girlfriend Amie who voluteered all weekend during the ride.  They were very supportive of my efforts.  They are already planning on volunteering in 2009 and of course I will be riding in the 2009 Bike MS event as well.
    The Bike MS weekend is a fast-paced weekend with a lot of work and little sleep for volunteers and bike riders.  This year my mom and I headed out early Friday to Columbia MO to help setup for the event.  My mom provided medical assistance for the bike riders all weekend.  Amie helped with a few different jobs: serving breakfast Saturday, supporting riders returning at the finish line, bike check and probably the best job of all the passing out the free beer at the end of the event which was provided by Anhueser Busch.  I rode 75 miles Saturday and 75 miles Sunday with 150 total miles for the weekend.   Check out some of the pictures my Mom and I took at:http://picasaweb.google.com/bigcrazyjohn/MS1502008#.  I think I stopped at almost every rest stop (about every 10 miles).  The Grahamwich was my favorite snack this year.  
     I raised $1000 this year which was double my goal, and a new record for me.  The final team totals were provided this month and Team Kaldi (my riding team) is the 2nd largest team, with 116 members, and they were the Top Fundraising Team this year, with over $102,000 dollars raised for 2008!!  The Bike MS fundraiser is the largest fundraising event for the Gateway Area Chapter of the MS Society.  They are still tallying up the pledges for the 2008 year working towards their goal of $2.4 millon.  This money will be used by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to not only support research for a cure tomorrow, but also to provide programs which address the needs of people living with MS today.  I will be sending out my 2009 Bike MS information in the near future.  If you want to read more about the Bike MS go here http://bikemos.nationalmssociety.org/    If you want to read more about the Gateway Area Chapter of the National MS Society go herehttp://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/MOS/index.aspx    
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and will have a safe and Happy New Year!  
Thank you!
John Drury