Do you ride a motorcycle?
It is that time of year again when I ask my friends, family and followers who ride motorcycles to join me in raising money for the MS charity I support called, MS Views and News.
Thirteen years ago, before I started my quest to ride a million miles for Multiple Sclerosis, I had an idea for a MS fundraiser. I wanted to be the first person to document riding a motorcycle 50,000 miles over 50 days. At the same time I was attempting to average 1000 miles every day, I would ask other riders to attempt to ride 100 miles a day over the same 50 day period.
50,000 miles over 50 days was a crazy idea and I would have been the first to set that world record. However, despite saving up all my vacation time, adding a few sick days and some unpaid leave to make it possible, I was told I would not have a job to return to if I were away seven weeks in a row. A friend of mine who was involved in MS charity work also questioned, “That’s great Paul, but what will you do next year and the year after that? You need to find something that you can sustain interest and fundraising over a period of years, not just a one time thing.” And so, I came up with the idea to document a million miles raising money and a awareness while chasing the cure for MS.
Eventually, the 50,000 miles in 50 days record was set and a year ago my friend Chris Hopper blew that away by setting the current world record of documenting 100,000 miles in 100 days. A blockbuster ride that raised over $100K for Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy!
Although my original idea of riding the 50,000 miles was squashed, the idea of having riders try to reach 5000 miles over a 50 day period still seemed like a good way to involve others in my fundraising and the MS5000 Motorcycle Mileage Contest was born.
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The MS5000 fundraiser is pretty simple, each participant tries to ride as many miles as they can over the 50 days between September 1st and October 20th. While riding, they are also trying to get their friends and family to donate to the charity in their name. Riders get a point for each mile they document riding and 10 points for each dollar they raise. The more points the greater chance of winning a trophy. Some riders ride a huge number of miles, but only collect a few dollars, where other riders don’t get many miles in, but end up raising lots of money. The fundraiser can be entered from anywhere, in any state and we have had a few from out of the country enter as well. Motorcycles, scooters, trikes, sidecars, we even had someone in a convertible who wanted just to fundraise, play along.
The MS5000 is similar to the MS Walk, but instead of pledges for walking, riders solicit pledges for riding because after all, we are bikers, not hikers!
Over the past ten years the MS5000 riders have collectively logging over a million miles for MS!
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The goal of any fundraiser is to raise as much money as you can for the cause.
Since 2013, the annual MS5000 has raised over $250,000 for MS charities!
The last few years we have been raising money for a charity that provides much needed educational programs and services for people living with Multiple Sclerosis. MS Views and News tries to reach rural communities in the country that do not have the same resources as the larger urban areas. Live events feature a leading neurologists speaking, information on the latest advancements in treatments and of course, a free chicken dinner.
MS Views and News is the largest provider of these events and although supported in part by pharmaceutical companies, the information provided is completely unbranded. The specialist is able to give unbiased information about any and all treatments. Often a second speaker presents an inspiring story or a nutritionist or physical therapist shares ideas on living better with symptoms of the disease.
For those patients unable to attend of these live events, it is also live-streamed online and a few weeks later, published on the charity’s Youtube channel. I have been a guest speaker at many of these events and not only do I learn new information, I have also seen the benefit first hand of what these programs deliver to people who are living every day with a chronic illness. Helping the charity continue to offer these programs is important to me and why my fundraising efforts have been dedicated to this charity since 2018.
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Consider entering the MS5000 and joining in raising some fun this year!
If you don’t ride a motorcycle, you can also donate a few dollars to a rider who does.
Ride for a Reason!
