Dear fellow cyclists and volunteers,
In 2006, when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at the age of 41, I had no idea what to expect. I knew nothing about PD; I knew no one with PD; and my perception was that, other than Michael J Fox, this was an "old person's disease". Having never been sick a day in my life, I had no idea what to do.
Anyone that knows my family is well aware that we are a family of "fixers" - if something is broken, we fix it; if someone is sad, we console them.. and try to make them laugh; if someone is hungry, we feed them; and if someone is sick, we pray for them. The one thing we don't do is nothing.
This need to "fix" things stems from the incredible kindness of the matriarch and patriarch of our family, my parents, Bob and Edna Woods. When their youngest son was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, they didn't know how to "fix" me. They of course began to pray for a cure, but that wasn't enough. They knew there had to be something more that they could do. For my mom especially, it became her life mission, not just to "fix" me, but to "fix" the hundreds of people she would meet and read about over the next several years. And so began the New England Parkinson's Ride. A ride created by my mom, Edna, with the sole purpose of raising money to speed a cure for Parkinson's Disease, and "fix" her son.
Because of the impact that the New England Parkinson's Ride has had over the past 8 years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet some absolutely incredible people, including Michael J Fox himself. Michael is everything you expect him to be and more. He is a kind soul with an unrelenting determination and passion for advancing treatments for Parkinson's patients, with an ultimate goal of finding a cure. As everyone knows, Michael has Parkinson's Disease. His desire to speed research so that treatments can get to patients sooner, however, is not a self-centered mission - he truly cares about every one of us who is fighting the same battle.
Last April, I had the honor and privilege to be the keynote speaker at the Team Fox MVP Awards in New York City. As I addressed the room of more than 400 people, I made a pledge to Michael that this year's New England Parkinson's Ride would do everything in our power to raise $750,000 for his Foundation so they can continue to fund the diverse research projects that are making a difference in Parkinson's patients' lives every day.
We know that there is a cure for Parkinson's Disease out there. It is simply a matter of when, not if. We also know that there are better treatments currently being developed that can significantly improve the lives of those of us with the disease today. The single biggest hurdle to speeding those treatments to the market, and finding that cure sooner than later, is funding. That is why every single dollar each one of us raises for the New England Parkinson's Ride goes directly to the Michael J Fox Foundation for research. Every one of those dollars is needed, is meticulously spent, and truly does have an impact.
My pledge to Michael that our ride would raise $750,000 was a leap of faith on my part because I know what this ride and our cyclists are capable of. I have done many other charity rides for various causes, and though they are wonderful, none of them has what we have. Our ride is personal, not because of me or because of my family, but because of you....every single one of you has become a part of us. This year, we had 814 cyclists, nearly 200 volunteers, and countless "fans" cheering us on, yet is still felt like one big family having a reunion. Everyone coming together for a great weekend to raise money for a cause that has in some way, affected each of us. Our ride family is a beautiful thing and a cause for celebration and thanksgiving!
Together we have raised over $510,000 so far this year, which is awesome. Yes, it's nearly $240,000 off of my pledge to Michael, but it's still an incredible amount of money that we all should be proud of. The only question I have is, have we truly done all we can? If you had to look Michael in the eye, could you in all honesty say you've done your very best?
I can't answer that for anyone but myself. Terry and I set our personal goal at $7500 and so far have raised about $5700. We know that is not our best so we will keep trying. Some of my family and friends have indicated that they know they can do more, so they too will keep at it. And there are some of you who haven't turned in your $100 minimum, so we know we can count on you to get us closer to our goal. Are there others of you who can also help?
If you are someone who has left no stone unturned and can honestly say you have in fact done your very best, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If however you are so
meone, like me, who knows in your heart of hearts that there is more you can do to get us closer to a cure, then you'll find below some pretty easy ways to raise another few hundred dollars. We only have one month left before the donation site for the 2015 ride closes, so please don't put this off. This is so important, and although you may not think that the money you raise will make a difference - from someone who has Parkinson's Disease and is waiting for a cure, praying it comes fast enough for me, for dozens of our cyclists, volunteers, and their family members, and for Michael, I can tell you that your fundraising efforts make all the difference in the world.
At this time of Thanksgiving, I am incredibly thankful for my family, my friends, and the countless people who made this year's ride the best one yet. The cyclists, the amazing volunteers, perfect weather, and the incredible dedication, commitment, and attention to detail of my mom Edna and my sister Cindy, made for a near perfect 2015 New England Parkinson's Ride. I can't thank each and every one of you enough for your participation and your commitment and I know that together we will find a cure!
Here are the top 10 ways to easily raise an additional $300.
10) Post it on Facebook and ask for 20 friends to donate $15 each
9) Post it on Facebook and ask for 15 friends to donate $20 each
8) Ask your employer if they need an end-of-year $300 tax deduction
7) Ask your rich uncle if he needs a $300 end-of-year tax deduction
6) Sell that useless piece of furniture on craigslist and donate the proceeds to the Ride
5) Make a $300 family donation this holiday season in support of a loved one with PD
4) Sign over your end-of-year bonus to the ride without looking at it :)
3) Donate your car to the ride and get the tax deduction in 2015
2) Send a personal email to 50 friends asking for just a $10 each, and hope to get at least 30 to do it
The number one way to raise $300 is...
1) Ask! Get out of your comfort zone and ask one more time!
Won't you please take 15 minutes this Thanksgiving weekend and choose your way of raising a little bit more?
Thank you!
Chris J Woods
