You've worked incredibly hard, we've worked incredibly hard, and it is with great pride that we share the official word from Team Fox...
THE 2015 NEW ENGLAND PARKINSON'S RIDE IS ONCE AGAIN THE LARGEST INDENPENDENT ONE-DAY FUNDRAISING EVENT
IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY!
With your help the 2015 Ride raised over $546,000 for
The Michael J Fox Foundation!
That brings our eight year total to $1,770,000!
In 2008 when we started the New England Parkinson's Ride in response to the diagnosis of "Young Onset Parkinson's Disease" of our beloved Chris Woods....son, brother, father, husband, and friend extraordinaire...we could not have begun to imagine the way it would evolve.
That first year, we had only 35 cyclists, raised $28,000, and made the decision to donate those funds to The Michael J Fox Foundation because we believed strongly in their core values and determination to fund independent research that would lead us to a cure.
That same year "Team Fox" was formed as a grassroots community fundraising arm of The Michael J Fox Foundation to encourage and support independent fundraising events like ours, all over the country. Their fabulous staff has provided significant guidance and support as we have grown to over 800 cyclists, hundreds of volunteers, dozens of sponsors, and thousands of donors! Their belief in what we can achieve and willingness to help in any way they can has been a tremendous asset that allows us to maintain our autonomy as an
independent family run ride
.
We maintain our own 501(c)(3), have a fabulous Board of Directors, an office space in Merrimack, NH, and absolutely incredible sponsors! Chris's sister, Cindy, now works fulltime, year-round...alongside their mother Edna, the Ride's founder. Our Board members, Rick Tucker, Chris Woods, Pete Broderick, Tom Gibson, Sean Woods, Kim Sherman, Elaine Gibson, Steve Durkee, and Brett Rosenbaum not only ride and volunteer at the big event but spend hundreds of hours throughout the year doing whatever it takes to make the next Ride better than the last.
We push ourselves harder every year and ask more of you each year...because it's not just about Chris anymore, it's about dozens of our incredible cyclists that are living and riding with PD. It's the hundreds of family members and friends each of you are riding for. And it's 5 million others who are also waiting for the research to uncover just what it is that will change the lives of PD patients everywhere and lead us to a cure.
We know we can't do it without you and your willingness to join the fight to end this cruel disease and we thank you
from the bottom of our collective hearts for being a part of our Ride Family.
Happy New Year!
The Woods Family and The New England Parkinson's Ride
Note: Registration for the September 10, 2016 ride will open in late winter. Be sure to watch for an email and follow us on Facebook!
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