2nd Annual Bike-a-Thon in
Sag Harbor Breaks New Ground
Under a brilliant blue sky, 89 bikers rolled away from Pierson High School in Sag Harbor, Long Island on Sept. 29. Cheering them on for the 20-mile ride for MS were the ride’s Chair Jeanne Keegan-Hoenig and Foundation founder Montel Williams, both of whom live with multiple sclerosis. Donations from the event have already topped $85,000 and are still coming in, with final results due the week of November 5.
At the same hour, a first-time team of mountain bikers embarked on a parallel ride in Cunningham Park, Queens, to raise funds for research on MS. The team’s 36 participants have raised nearly $4,000 to date.
The Bike-a-Thon’s top individual fundraiser is Bob Hoenig, Jeanne’s husband, who brought in $6,345—more than 50 percent above the goal he set. His 48-member Team Shiloh also topped its collective goal, raising nearly $36,000 for MS research.
Winning a trophy at the post-ride brunch for traveling the furthest to the event, the Greatest Story Team, comprised of riders from California, surpassed its $5,000 goal as well.
Two days before the ride, Jeanne’s father Ed Keegan set out from his home in Queens to walk the 105 miles to Sag Harbor. His effort, featured prominently in Newsday, drew spontaneous donations for MS research from Long Islanders along his route.
Watch this space for information about next year's 3rd Annual Bike-a-thon. For help in organizing a grassroots fund-raising event for MS in your community, contact Janine Quijije at 1-888-324-2773, Ext. 2.