Why not piggyback on one MS Society fundraiser for another!!

  

   The past few years I've walked in the Walk MS and raised money for MS research that way.  I had a lot of very generous people help me on my mission.

     Now that I'm riding in the Bike MS  "Bike To The Bay", I felt like I needed to focus on this event, so rather than ask all of my wonderful friends to help me twice this year, I wouldn't walk and focus on the Bike.

     However, when I was at a "Bike To The Bay" planning committee meeting, Alberta Hunt from the National MS Society asked if anyone could sit and man the Bike MS booth at the Walk.  Of course most of the eyes looked down because you know if you make eye contact then you will certainly be delegated.

     But you know me, I don't really care for that awkward silence so I said I would.  I asked Alberta what time I needed to be there and she said from 7:00 AM until I turned 65!  What did I get myself into!?  

     Then after a couple of days it occurred to me that I could dip into this pool for some more prospects for my team.  I figured it wouldn't be a conflict of interest because the Walk was already taking place so I wouldn't feel guilty pulling potential  prospects from the Walk.  They would either be psyched up from having just done the walk and want to get involved in the Bike MS, or ready to keel over, then ask me if I was crazy.



     I was sure to wear my cute "Team Leapfrog" shirt so if nothing else maybe I could promote our team that way. I wasn't getting my hopes up though; I mean, these people were probably already exhausted from doing the walk and the Bike MS was probably the furthest thing from their minds.

     Well I was wrong.  I couldn't believe how many people were interested in riding in the Bike To The Bay.  It did make sense though.  A lot of walkers were there because they had a loved one with MS or they themselves had it.

     At this point I decided to pull out my "MS card".  I have it, I may as well use it;)  Anyone who even glanced for a second at the Bike MS literature was now a candidate for my team.  The funny thing was, almost every person who stopped at the Bike booth was interested in riding.  And when I told them I have MS and that's why I started team leapfrog they immediately wanted to be on my team.

     I gave out quite a few of my Leapfrog cards and now I'll just wait to see how many new riders I get for my team. Fingers crossed that my team will be bigger than ever!  Remember, My goal is now 50, but that could change because we're already at 32.

      As always the turnout for the walk was overwhelming, and it was amazing to see how many people from our community wanted to help in this cause.

     I also ran into a couple of my team members which I hadn't met yet, as well as my friend and fellow blogger Nani, who also has MS and just recently completed the training to become the MS support group leader in this area!  Congrats Nani!

     The biggest reward I received from volunteering at the  Walk was seeing how many people truly wanted to help us in our fight to cure MS.  Now I'm even more excited to see the same enthusiasm  at the Bike To The Bay!!

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

Spring is finally here; YAY!!!

          Where I come from this has been one very long winter, but now we are officially into spring!  I took this picture of the bike trail I ride and you can see that even though spring is here we still have the subtle reminder that winter isn't to far in the past.

     Yes, the mounds of snow still linger but you can see by the picture that the sun is trying to peak through letting us know the wonderful spring days are approaching us.  

     The bright rays over head remind me of the  TV  show "Touched by and angel", Remember Roma Downey?? (I might start speaking with an Irish accent!)  of course I was really hoping I could get a picture without the sun distorting it, but it was a sign that spring is finally here.

These next two pictures are proof of what the brutal winter did to the precious bike trail.

summer

now

     But I have faith that before long it will be green and cheery again!!

     In anticipation I've got my bike on deck and the cob webs are gone, so maybe just maybe, next week I'll be back to out door riding again! Fingers crossed:)

Have a great weekend!!

Christine:)

No one is exempt from my begging:)

     Just when I thought I had exhausted all of my resources there was another prospect for my team right under my nose.  Of course the only way I find these hidden treasures is through my idle chit-chat.

     After I was finished answering the phones at DMC I went down to the workout room to do my training on the bike.  Jason from Gem Energy Services happened to be in there Doing some repair work and of course I told him I was going to ride the stationary bike to train for the Bike To The Bay, and I also told him I have MS, as if he really cared...

BTW, look on the counter! What day is it?? It's huuump daaay:)

     Well to my surprise he said "oh really?!  My Aunt has MS", to which I replied "oh really!?!?  You realize now you just have to ride for her!!"  I'm sure you can guess what happened next... he was totally in!  Then he said he would also ask his wife and father to ride too.  Some people might think I tend to run off at the mouth, but see... how else am I gonna find these hidden treasures:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

Another milestone!!!

   Can you believe we have over 30 riders (32 at last count) on our team already!?!?!  I can!!!  You guys are awesome!! When I started this journey I would have loved to shoot for 50, but even 25 actually seamed unimaginable. 

      Now that I blew past the 30 you just know I can't quit until I reach that 50 mark. I know my great friends won't let me down and I can see my goal of 50 riders in the horizon; we can do this!!

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

Thanks for supporting us in our first Bob Evans fund raiser!

    

    Well we finally have the first Bob Evans fundraiser under our belt and after going there three times yesterday I just may have to buy myself a bigger one! (a belt, that is) Lol.

     First I went with my mom, my sister and three friends ( one left before the picture).  I was considering bringing my PJs and sleeping bag, then just camping out.  But after some thought I decided against it.  Of course by the time we were finished and I had done a little soliciting it was almost lunch time, so in hind sight I should have camped out.

        Next I had lunch with my Bike to the Bay peeps, where I ran into a few more people who were there because of my emails. After that I did leave for a while, but not for long because you know there's also dinner, so I went back with my daughter Emily and her family.  It's a tough job but somebody has to do it:)

     I am forever grateful to all of you that came out to show your support!  I know the next one will be even bigger!  The timing of the general managers vacations made the news coverage impossible for this one but we have plenty of time to promote the next one so be sure to watch for a few of the general managers from Bob Evans and myself on the local news with Joe Nugent.  I'll let you know on the date as soon as we finally pin one down.  Also, watch for details on the next fundraiser held in April.  Just remember... You have to eat anyway;)

Have a great weekend!!

Christine:)

Sponsor number seven

   

   We had Six sponsors for our team shirts already and then Lori Coleman, one of our team members asked her boss who owns Mike's Southwest Grill and of course he said yes!!  Who wouldn't want to help us out:)  Mike knows this a great cause and I'm forever grateful for his generosity.

     Of course I had to get a picture with Lori and Bill, both team members, and of course I had to try the food while I was there as well!  I have to tell you, if you've never had grilled Tilopia tacos, they are out of this world!  They pair well with Margaritas, or so I've heard;) Check Mike's out!

Remember the fund raiser at Bob Evans today!!!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)



     

     

Another Bob Evans General Manager on my team... WHAT?!?!

   

  So I simply went into the Bob Evans on Central avenue to drop off a T-shirt flyer to add to the Bob Evans fundraiser flyer they already had, and to see if the General Manager might be available to join us at the news media event, but would you believe, the GM Matt Wienner said he wants to ride too?!?!  Not only does he want to ride but he plans to ask his wife and several others there as well.  How cool is this?!?!

     What I've discovered through all of this is there are a lot of people who would love to help out someway, but they just needed someone to invite them to do it.

     I told you our team would make it to 50 riders so I have some more work ahead of me, but don't you worry; My job's not done:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)
Don't forget to dine at Bob Evans this Wednesday, March 19th, and bring in a flyer or mention us and 15% of the sales will go to Team Leapfrog and Team Sitting Bull!!

We pulled one more victim into our brain storming web

          Now that we have so many riders on Team Leapfrog I just have to make another one of my very important goals happen; and that is to cross the "actual" finish line.

     A lot of people want to ride for the exercise and because it's for a good cause, or maybe because it's a great way to spend time with family and friends.  Where it starts and where it finishes isn't really important.

     But I just have to ride over the finish line because I want to feel the sense of accomplishment for doing something I never thought I could do.  And who knows how my body will react to 35 miles, but I sure have to give it my best shot.  My reward for making myself complete it after training the three days a week at 14 miles each day is seeing the finish line.  I just have to have a feeling of finishing;  and for me it's over the finish line.

     So our committee of three amigos: Reeves, Brian and I had to pull in some back up to make this option happen.  In the past years the 35 mile riders began riding at the start and finished 35 miles out where the buses would take them along with there bikes back to the starting point.

     We had a meeting with Julie Roberts, the Community Relations Director at Kingston Healthcare who is riding for the first time and is also very passionate about crossing the finish line (besides, Kingston is supplying watermelon at the end so she'll be doing double duty that day and she surely can't be at the start and finish line at the same time.  

     We brainstormed for quite a while and we have several ideas in mind.  I'm not sure how, just yet, but mark my word I will see you at the finish line;)

Have a great weekend!!

Christine:)

* Oh... for the record, this is my 75th post!! Yay:)
(and I didn't think I would have enough to say!)

Another shirt sponsor!! Thanks Fischer Tool And Die!!

       Wow!  Another shirt sponsor!  Look up and click on our Team Leapfrog Shirt Sponsor Page. As you can see the sponsors just keep coming.  The latest to join the soup is Mike Fischer/Fischer Tool And Die.  By the time the ride is here we just may have the whole shirt filled with sponsors!  Thanks Mike for joining us on our quest to make this year huge!

     Remember, any of you that own a business, please consider helping us out by sponsoring our team.  The cost is 250.00 and your logo will go on the coolest team shirt of them all.  Not to mention that this being the 25 year celebration there will be a lot of media around and as you can see our team is really growing by leaps and bounds (pun intended!) so you name will be everywhere.

     Let us know if you would like to be a sponsor:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

     

More awesome news!!

   

  It just keeps getting better!  Reeves talked to Joe Nugent from ABC news and Joe said he wants to interview Jason, the general manager from Bob Evans and me about our fundraiser!! How cool is that?!?!  he also wants to wants to shoot some footage of me training for the ride.  Right now with the cold weather I ride the stationary bike about 14 miles three days a week at DMC Technology where I work part time, so that's where we'll be.

     To think early fall I was lucky to make it eight miles with out dropping dead from exhaustion, and now 14...  of course my legs are numb and feel like jello when I'm done so this should be interesting on the ride, but it's all for the cause and where there's a will there's a way!!

     I'll keep you posted on when it will air and after that I'll be available for autographs! Lol.  Who knows, some day you may be saying "I knew her way back when!" A girl can dream can't she:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

     

I promised at least 25 riders...

     Well I did it!  I told you I would have at least 25 riders on my team and we just recently got our 25th official rider! Now we have over 25! Check out our team! The rest is gravy, but I'm not done yet!!

Watch me... maybe 50?!?!  Don't tempt me!!  Wish  me (or should I say us?) luck!!!!

  Please join us and help me prove we can do this!


Have a great weekend!!

Christine:)

Thank You Chandler Cafe!!

   

  I mentioned not too long ago that my favorite hometown coffee shop was Chandler Cafe, but I have to talk about them again because they are beyond Awesome!!  Lori Stansley the owner, also jumped on board to help make the 25th anniversary of the Bike To The Bay one to remember.

     She too wanted to be a sponsor of our team shirts.  Of course she was anxious to help us by displaying our team shirts for purchase to raise money for the cause as well.  

     
     What better selling tool than to have Kate, Maggie and the others wear the shirts to promote them further.  Watch for the cute pink frog shirts to show up at Chandler Cafe very soon.

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

msohiobike.org

Our first fundraiser with Bob Evans! Mark your calender!!

        I told you I don't give up!!  We finally have a date for our first fundraiser with Bob Evans!  We all sat down and worked out the details and the first one will be on Wednesday, March 19th, from morning until night.

      Mark your calenders and spread the word! 15% of the sales will be given to Team Leapfrog and Team Sitting Bull.  Even without the flyer just mention us and you help us out.  I mean, you have to eat anyway, right??! We're working on the flyer now, so it'll be out soon.  Are we good or what?!?!

     Jason, the general manager of the Monroe street Bob Evans Rocks!!! First he's going to be a sponsor on our team shirts, then he sets up this fundraiser for us and now he's going to get all 13 locations to participate as well!!  But wait... it gets better... I am this close (imagine my thumb and finger about a half an inch apart) to getting him to ride in the BTTB on Team Leapfrog!  What do you think... can I do it!?!? Just watch me!  A pink shirt with frogs will soon be a part of his wardrobe, mark my word;)

   

Have a great day!!

Christine:)