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Started in 2002, the RIDE
FOR KAREN is a yearly cycling event that is held as a tribute to the
life and legacy of Karen Tobias and to raise money for charities that help
people living with cancer, and those who care for them. The 2002 Ride for
Karen raised $40,000, which was used to help build and furnish new cancer
facilities at North York General Hospital. This year, the organizers of the event have been
generous enough to select the Childhood Cancer Foundation as well as
Wellspring as its primary two recipients of the 2003 proceeds.
The 2003 Ride for Karen was scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 5th,
and featured two course lengths, a 25km course for intermediate cyclists
and a 160km course for advanced riders. The 25km course covers beautiful countryside and
guarantees to provide participants great fun, good food and cool prizes,
while supporting a very worthwhile cause.
In the longer course, members of the competitive cycling community will
embark on a 160 km / 100 mile ride through the valleys and farmlands
north of Toronto. While scenic, the 160 km ride is a difficult
undertaking even for a seasoned cyclist and acts as a suitable metaphor
for the strength that Karen showed in her tireless battle with Breast
Cancer.
As a cancer patient, Karen knew first hand that hospitals were not a very
positive environment in which to spend a lot of time. Karen wanted to
make a difference and was dedicated to improving the hospital environment
one patient at a time with one goal in mind - Improving Hope -
that she felt was a critical component of cancer care. We as a family
have created the Ride for Karen to continue her work in an effort
to harnesses the positive power of hope.
FINAL UPDATE
We
are pleased to announce that the
final figures for the 2003 Ride For Karen
have been tabulated and wanted to share them with you.
As previously stated, our fundraising goal for the Ride
was $50,000. We are VERY PLEASED to announce
that the final number (final as of right now with contributions still
coming in on line) is:
$50,025.25
Thanks
to your ongoing support, the 2003 Ride
For Karen was a total and absolute success.
As well,
we wanted to let everyone know about a new section on the Ride for Karen
web site (www.rideforkaren.com).
You can now click on "Rider Comments" and will be able to post
comments to our online message board. This is the place
where you can write a suggestion for next years event or
provide a journal of the highlights of your ride. We are hoping
that all riders will provide an overview of their ride experience.
Thanks
again for your support and for making a difference in the lives of
those that are affected by cancer and those who care for them.
Regards,
Ride
for Karen Organizing Team
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