LEGACY BIKE MS

CHEN OREN YEARS IN TOP 100: 6 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $21,113 WHY CHEN RIDES: I ride to support the National MS Society and the fight against MS. Dora was diagnosed with MS over 10 years ago. I ride because the last 6 years of Bike MS were powerful and meaningful. My friend Mark has ridden with me since 2008 and has been an inspirational support. Our adventures throughout the years included riding a century with MTB, riding 3 months after breaking Mark’s leg, riding in crazy winds and with flat tires, starting the ride after coaching soccer in the morning, etc. I ride to raise money and awareness toward a cure for MS. I ride because I love my wife. I ride because it is the right thing to do!

SOPHIE CLARKE YEARS IN TOP 100: 6 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $21,471 WHY SOPHIE RIDES: I was inspired to join Bike MS in 2009 due to the impressive involvement of my co-worker, Jamie Engelman, and his family. That year, I started riding after an eleven year hiatus from any sort of biking activity, and once I got rolling, I was completely hooked! The Rowdy Riders stole my heart. But it wasn't just the riding that inspired me. It was the great cause behind the ride. Eric Engelman, Jamie's brother, was the first person I met with MS, but he was not the last. I now ride for at least 10 people who have been affected by the disease. I am staggered by the hardships the disease inflicts, and knowing this always makes work harder to raise money. After six years, I am proud to say I have raised approximately $21,471 to date! It is the endless support, donations, and good wishes of family and friends that have helped make that number a reality. When I cross that finish line, I feel incredible pride for my own physical accomplishment and knowing I've done something really special for a worthy cause. It has been an incredible journey! I'm proud to be a Legacy Club member. DANNY BENSON YEARS IN TOP 100: 7 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $38,805 WHY DANNY RIDES: I know several people impacted by this difficult disease. A close friend, and my mentor for much of my professional career, has a daughter who has been dealing with MS for at least ten years. I believe the research and support offered by the National MS Society is making a huge difference in the treatment and will hopefully someday find a cure. I am glad I can be a contributor to this worthy cause. SHEMAR MOORE YEARS IN TOP 100: 7 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $98,453 WHY SHEMAR RIDES: Eight years ago, Shemar says, he learned something that would completely change the meaning of exercise to him. “When I got into cycling, the crew members I worked with at “Criminal Minds” told me about bicycling events that raise money for multiple sclerosis,” Shemar recalls. “It hit me like a thunderbolt,” he says, because his mother had been diagnosed with MS in 1999, at age 56. “I told my mother, ‘Hey, I’m going to ride a bike a long way, and we are going to raise awareness and money for this disease,’ and that just lit her up. I thought, ‘Wow! I can do something fun for me, but also uplift her.’” He’s participated every year since. Last October, Shemar took part in his eighth Bike MS ride in Southern California, along with 47 other riders on the Criminal Minds team. “It was a true challenge,” he says, “but I was determined to finish all 100 miles. My legs had moments where I didn’t know if I would hang on to finish, but I dug deep and paced and pushed myself. I was walking slow and funny for three days afterward, but it was all worth it to see all the happy, excited and grateful faces when we crossed the finish line. And my mom was there at the finish line, screaming the hardest.” ELLA ZARKY YEARS IN TOP 100: 6 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $62,183 WHY ELLA RIDES: I am supporting MS fundraising in hopes or in the knowledge that enough funding will enable medical researchers to eliminate this disease. I was alerted to MS by the fact that both my niece and nephew have it, but with enough research, their children and friends’ children will not have multiple sclerosis. They will have the joy of unlimited (or normal) physical movement. A side benefit to participating in Bike MS rides is that it keeps me in better physical and mental condition.

TERRI-RAE ELMER YEARS IN TOP 100: 8 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $400,225 WHY TERRI-RAE RIDES: I support Bike MS because I have a dear aunt who has MS. Her energy and joy in life, (even now in her 80's,) has been an inspiration to me. In addition, I have a cousin we lost to the disease. I get a lot of pitches to support this or that charity, but I support The National MS Society, because I believe in the way the money is used to help people who have MS. I understand that most of the money does NOT go to administrative support, rather to the people struggling with MS on a daily basis. I also know that a lot of the money goes toward research to hopefully find a cure. Bike MS is a tough ride, especially if you do both days. Each year of the ride, I have committed to do BOTH days. It is not to gain accolades about how hard it is to ride more than 150 miles over two days. It is, rather, to show that the small commitment I can make is nothing compared to what others go through on a daily basis.