BIKE MS PROFILED RIDERS
Bike MS Profiled Riders are the public face of the Bike
MS 2014 campaign. These individuals are involved in Bike MS through a variety of different ways and are inspiring others to get involved and do more. Learn more about our Profiled Riders below.
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Todd Frauendorfer
Despite MS diagnosis,
Aurora resident Todd Frauendorfer pedals on to
find a cure for the disease through Bike MS
Riding
100 miles in one day is no easy task for any trained cyclist. Throw multiple
sclerosis into the mix and it’s a near impossibility. But that’s not the case
for Todd Frauendorfer, who is one of the stronger riders among the more than
2,300 that participate annually in Bike MS: Tour de Farms, the largest charity
ride in Illinois, which this year takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and
June 22, in DeKalb.
While
in the past, Bike MS was reserved for cyclists of all abilities looking to ride
and raise funds for multiple sclerosis, in recent years the event has also
become a proving ground for those living with the disease, like Frauendorfer,
to test their limits through exercise and physical exertion. In 2013, nearly
100 riders living with MS participated in the ride.
“I’m
a big proponent of staying active,” says Frauendorfer, a resident of Aurora.
“That’s not to say I wasn’t exhausted after completing the 100 miles.”
For
Frauendorfer, the exhaustion soon turned to excitement at last year’s event,
after being greeted by so many friends, teammates and family members. Another
50 miles the second day was just the icing on the cake.
Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Scott Hinton
When he was diagnosed with MS in 1998, Scott Hinton says
that he almost felt a sense of elation hearing the final verdict. Before he
knew the cause of his symptoms, the uncertainty of the situation caused a
series of worst-case scenarios to flood his mind, and he was worried that
whatever he had could be fatal. When the diagnosis finally came, he was
relieved to discover that it was something he could manage, though it wouldn’t
come without difficulty.
Prior to his MS diagnosis, Hinton would have described
himself as your average suburban husband and father. He went for long walks on
the beach, coached youth soccer, and was an avid runner and cyclist. As his
symptoms progressed, however, all that changed.
“My relapsing remitting MS has changed to secondary
progressive MS, so there has been a slow but steady decline in my mobility,”
said Hinton. “I now have difficulty walking around the block, and running and
bicycling are but distant memories.”
Although he has had to give up some of the things he
loves, he was grateful for what he had and hopeful that he could find
alternative ways to stay active.
Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Lorena Gilbert
Lorena Gilbert is a cycling enthusiast who enjoys
participating in fundraising events, so when she was invited to join Bike MS:
Tour de Farms, she gladly accepted.
Gilbert exemplifies the idea that “chances are, someone
you know is living with MS.” Although she has not been personally affected by
the disease, she has seen its effects on other people and those that they love.
“My connection with MS is the friends and coworkers who
have family members with MS,” said Gilbert. “I have two high school classmates
whose mothers were affected by the disease.”
She knows the importance of events like Bike MS to raise
money to benefit those affected by the disease and is very pleased to have the
opportunity to contribute to those fundraising efforts.
“Through the years, I have seen how the MS Society helps
individuals diagnosed with MS,” said Gilbert. “For example, my classmate’s mom
had a ramp and a chair lift installed inside her home.”
It’s important to Gilbert that she maintains her health,
and she is happy to have the opportunity to help others do the same through her
efforts at Bike MS.
“As a nurse, I try to promote a healthy lifestyle, so I
participate in fitness focused activities,” said Gilbert.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22, Gilbert will participate
in her first ever Bike MS: Tour de Farms along with her team and club, the
Major Taylor Cycling Club.
Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Carlos
Franco
For Carlos Franco, biking
for a cause is nothing new, and although 2014 will mark his first ever Bike MS:
Tour de Farms, he has no concerns about fundraising or the ride itself. Why
should he? As a member of the The Spidermonkeys—a
Chicago bike club of about 100 members that takes part in organized group rides
throughout the year—he is in excellent hands. The Spidermonkeys have participated in Bike MS every year since
their creation, and Franco is happy to join them this year.
“Now that I’m a Spidermonkey,
I understand that we do fundraising for Bike MS, so I signed up for it,” said Franco,
who saw his participation in the event as a no-brainer. “I’ve always enjoyed
fundraising for events, and I figured this was a good one to do.”
If there is a biking event
in the Chicago area, you can bet The
Spidermonkeys will be there, especially if it supports a good cause. In
fact, the philanthropic nature of the team is part of what drew Franco to them
in the first place.
“I
was doing a Century ride a couple years ago up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and when
I saw the 312 area code on their jerseys, I inquired about it,” recalled
Franco. “I thought it was a really cool team, and the more I learned about it,
the more I wanted to be a part of it. They host great events and they all
revolve around riding bikes—it’s an awesome group of people to ride with.”
Having an entire team behind
you is very beneficial, especially when training for an event like Bike MS. Not
only does being on a team make the training more fun, it makes it more
effective as well.
Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Holly McGinn
While watching her best friend, Marion, ride 50 miles at the 2011 Bike MS: Tour de Farms, Holly McGinn was overcome with emotion. She was caught up in the amazing atmosphere of the event, feeling the excitement and solidarity of a group that was there for a cause very close to her own heart.
“To see all of those riders coming together for the greater purpose of finding a cure for MS was overwhelming and beautiful,” recalled McGinn.
She decided then that she needed to be out there with them, riding for herself and all others who are affected by MS. The following year, team “Ho Ho Holly’s Hopes” was formed.
McGinn is called “Ho Ho” by her friend’s children, and when it came time to pick a name for her Bike MS 2012 team, it seemed only natural to somehow incorporate the nickname.
“Ho Ho Holly’s Hopes is a great team,” said McGinn. “I have been so blessed with all of the love and support that surrounds me. Our team does team practice rides, and naturally we all wear the same team shirt.”
They also fundraise as a team, using social networking, garage sales and “bring your spare change” parties to raise money to support Bike MS and the movement to end MS.
McGinn was diagnosed with MS in March of 2003. She awoke one morning with a buzzing sound in her ear that progressed into a full head reverberation by days end. After a visit to the doctor and an MRI, McGinn discovered that she had two lesions in her brain. As her symptoms progressed, she lost vision in one eye and began having trouble walking.
Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Nancy Kulick
When it comes to bringing an end to MS, Point B, Inc. knows what it takes to get from point A to … you get the idea.
Point B is a management consulting firm with an ability to produce results and a dedication to raising funds for research, programs and services to help everyone affected by MS. One way that Point B raises these funds is by participating in Bike MS. The firm’s first Bike MS team was formed in Seattle 10 years ago, and it has since added five other teams across the country, including one in Chicago.
“Several friends and family of Point B have been impacted by multiple sclerosis, so it’s a cause that we’re taking up together,” said Nancy Kulick, a leader at Point B’s Chicago office and a National MS Society, Greater IL Chapter board member.
Point B’s Chicago office is a newcomer to the firm’s 10-year tradition, having participated in their first Bike MS: Tour de Farms last year. Their team had a total of 15 riders their first year, and they hope to improve those numbers this time around.
“We plan to double our team this year and more than double our fundraising results,” said Kulick. “Over time, I would love to see our Chicago team grow to be as large as our Denver or Seattle teams, who are both key sponsors in their local Bike MS events.”
In the last 10 years, Point B has raised over $1 million for MS research, programs and services, with $300,000 raised in 2013 alone.
Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Crystal Noack
Crystal Noack has always enjoyed riding her bike, but she
had never been interested in riding more than a few miles at a time. When she
was diagnosed with MS in 2009, she began receiving Bike MS: Tour de Farms
emails from the National MS Society, and although she overlooked them at first,
there was something about the event that she couldn’t ignore.
“I dismissed it and didn’t think it was for me,” said
Noack. “Weeks went by and I had this nagging feeling that I was missing out. I
contacted the Bike MS folks and voiced my concerns about how much experience I
had with cycling and distance, and they assured me that I could do it.”
Noack admits that having MS terrifies her at times, and
she has experienced enough symptoms from the disease to more than justify that
feeling. Even more terrifying are the unknowns that come with having MS. Noack
was worried that her diagnosis would mean that she could never do the things
she had always wanted to and that she couldn’t plan for her future. Questions
like, “What if I can’t walk one day?” and “What if I lose my vision?” consumed
her, but she didn’t want to let the “what Ifs” control her.
“I took a stand,” said Noack. “I said, ‘What if I decide
I’m not giving into this disease? What if I take on the challenge and ride my
bike to raise money and awareness?’ I was determined to show this disease who
was boss.”
Noack decided to join Bike MS, and she hasn’t looked
back. Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Craig Johnson
Craig Johnson has over two decades of Bike MS experience
under his belt, and going strong at age 67, he seems poised to hit the quarter
century mark. Johnson plans to continue riding for as long as he is capable,
because he learned from his best friend, Evans, that he should never take a movement for granted.
“He was the senior class president, the captain of the
tennis team, an officer in the ROTC, my fraternity brother, the guy that men
wanted to hang around with and women found irresistible,” said Johnson of his
friend Evans. “After college he served in Vietnam, then went on to receive his
Law degree. He had it all … and then came the diagnosis that he had MS.”
Evans was no stranger to multiple sclerosis, having
watched his mother live with the disease before passing away a few years after
his college graduation, but for Johnson, it was a new experience. Over the
years Johnson watched his best friend transition from driving his own
handicapped accessible van to walking with canes, walkers, riding a motorized
scooter and finally having to be hoisted in and out of bed.
“Each passing year showed me the devastation that this
disease can have on a human body,” said Johnson. “It made me appreciate even
more the blessing I had. I no longer took movements for granted, and I wanted to
participate in the fight against MS.”
Johnson is the captain of his Bike MS: Tour de Farms
team, the Smokin’ Spokes — one of the oldest participating teams — and on
Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22, he will lead them once again in what will
be his 23rd annual ride for MS. Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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Allen and Brandon Joffe
While brainstorming ideas for his son Brandon’s mitzvah project—an event to give back to the community for his Bar Mitzvah—Allen Joffe was inspired by his college roommate, Mitch, who is living with MS. When Allen explained that Mitch was incapable of doing many of the things that we take for granted with his own kids, such as playing soccer and throwing a Frisbee, Brandon was instantly “sold” on the idea of riding and fundraising for Bike MS: Tour de Farms.
“Brandon decided to do the Tour de Farms and told me I was riding with him,” said Allen, who credits his son completely for their participation in the event. “I didn’t even have to think about a response—I was in from the time he decided that was going to be his project.”
For Allen and Brandon, Bike MS isn’t just an opportunity to support a great cause by fundraising and riding for MS; it’s a chance for them to connect as a family. Learn more about this profiled rider >>
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