TEAM WENDY BRAVES THE HEAT AND BIKES TO CURE AT VELOSANO

2019 marks sixth annual “Bike to Cure”

Even as a heat wave smothered Northeast Ohio, thousands of bikers and volunteers gathered in downtown Cleveland on Saturday, July 20 for the sixth annual VeloSano “Bike to Cure” event, which is part of a year-round fundraising initiative supporting cancer research at Cleveland Clinic. 

This was my fourth year riding with Team Wendy^® in VeloSano, and the event continues to amaze me. Each participant bikes between 10 and 190 miles and commits to raising a pre-determined amount of money that correlates with their distance. What’s phenomenal about VeloSano — Latin for “swift cure” — is that 100 percent of every dollar raised goes toward Cleveland Clinic’s lifesaving research. Looking at how last year’s event raised more than $4.5 million and this year’s had already raised over $2.5 million by Wednesday, it’s incredible to think that something that I enjoy doing like riding my bike can help make an impact.

While I love cycling, I also have more reasons to keep coming back every year. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer, whether it’s a friend, family member or coworker. My paternal grandmother struggled with lung cancer twice in her life and ultimately passed after a long battle. My wife’s aunt has also had and recovered from cancer. This cause is personal, and I’m glad to be able to take action and help, especially when the proceeds fund cancer research at the hospital ranked No. 2 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals.

VeloSano is also just an enjoyable experience. My colleagues at Team Wendy, others from Dan T. Moore Companies and the friends of Dan Moore who ride are awesome people and fun to spend a day with. Really everyone involved with VeloSano is good people, and there are always great conversations on the road. The routes are scenic and wind through the city I love. I’m always impressed by all the hard work the volunteers put into the event, from keeping things organized and running smoothly to providing well-stocked fueling stations.

Our team also designs its own cycling kit every year, and it’s always interesting to see people’s reactions to our kit. While last year we sported a red, white and blue kit inspired by Evel Knievel, this year we really repped Team Wendy with a design featuring our official colors and the “W” printed on the side of our M-216™ Ski SAR helmet.

This year, Team Wendy exceeded its $25,000 fundraising goal and raised over $28,000. Donations can still be made through our team page even after the cycling event is finished. You can learn about how to get involved with VeloSano as a volunteer, rider, virtual rider fundraiser, partner and more at www.velosano.org.
 
By Jon Hauserman
Senior Project Engineer