Some 375 cyclists raised over $135,000 for the fight against cancers in adolescents and young adults during the 6th Annual Reid's Ride Bike-a-thon on Sunday, July 18. Lorraine Sacco, Director of Reid's Ride, remarked, "I'm overwhelmed by the results of this year's event, on all fronts. Not only did the numbers of riders and donors once again significantly exceed those of the previous year, but the number of individuals wanting to volunteer and help with the event also increased. All of that tells me that the mission of Reid's Ride is becoming its own messenger, and is reaching more and more people and is resonating with them. For me, that's among the most important emotional rewards of holding this event."
Addressing the several hundred riders poised at the starting line at Lynnfield High School, Lorraine read from the event's dedication list the names of riders' loved ones lost to cancer. Conspicuous among the hundreds of riders wearing the event's yellow tee-shirt were clusters of riders wearing team shirts, with several of those teams riding in honor of someone fighting cancer or someone lost to the disease. She concluded the solemn moment by declaring that the purpose of each rider's participation in the day's event was to keep the dedication list from growing any longer than it already had.
For another year, weather for the event was picture-perfect. Although the virtually cloudless skies eventually nudged area thermometers into the low nineties, temperatures were not a factor for the riders. By design, the Ride launched early in the morning and its route took cyclists along the coastline where they enjoyed cooling sea breezes. The event concluded at Gloucester's Stage Fort Park, on a hill overlooking the Atlantic ocean, where a barbeque luncheon reception, refreshments, music, raffles, and awards awaited riders and supporters.
Proceeds from Reid's Ride benefit the ECCF/Reid Sacco Memorial Cancer Fund, a donor-advised fund that supports clinical and scientific research into finding better treatments-and someday a cure-for the cancers that predominantly strike adolescents and young adults. On hand at Stage Fort Park was Mr. Christopher Pates from Connecticut Children's Medical Center (CCMC) to explain how the Fund is involved in one such clinical research program. At CCMC, monies raised by Reid's Ride has for the last three years made possible an Adolescent and Young Adult ("AYA") Cancer Program, led by Dr. Michael Isakoff. This program is part of a nationwide network of centers and physicians dedicated to expanding the availability of clinical trials to patients 15-40 years of age. Access to clinical trials has been shown to correlate with improvements in survival rates, and the Reid Sacco Memorial Cancer Research Fund has made it possible for Dr. Isakoff to make additional clinical trials available to area patients in this age group. The Fund is also helping him design a unique clinical trial in sarcoma which will ultimately reach 200 treatment centers nationwide.
Weston Sacco, a member of the Young Adult Advisory Board for the Reid Sacco Memorial Foundation, followed Mr. Pates announced that Reid's Ride has made it possible to join forces with the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative in co-funding a major grant to two scientists at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Texas). Those scientists are studying promising new targets hiding within the molecular genetics of sarcomas, a family of cancers particularly deadly in adolescents and young adults. "That grant achieves two objectives for the Reid Sacco Memorial Foundation this year," he said, "first, to support basic scientific research relevant to young adult cancers, and second to build alliances and networks with other private, volunteer groups trying do something about young adult cancer." As it has for the past two years, the 2010 Reid's Ride was a member- event in the 2010 Team Sarcoma Initiative, a movement that pulls together dozens of events across the globe working for improved awareness and funding in sarcomas. Mr. Weston Sacco continued, "Neither Reid's Ride nor the Reid Sacco Cancer Research Fund is affiliated with any one hospital or center, meaning we have the flexibility to participate in and fund the most promising programs, regardless of where they are."
Also making presentations were several others members of the Young Adult Advisory Board, including Bethany Flom, Jackie Bourque, Jane Greeno, Meredith Greeno, Michael Marra, Rachael Sacco, and Ryan McNeill. In addition to announcing the top individual and team fund-raisers, and winners of Red Sox tickets and other raffle prizes, each expanded upon the mission and impact of Reid's Ride and on what it has meant to them. The Young Adult Advisory Board is a critical driver behind Reid's Ride. Lorraine Sacco commented, "I've always seen the Ride as not only something that benefits young adults, but as something that is both owned and energized by this wonderfully productive and promising segment of our population."
Honors for top individual fund-raising went to Jackie Bourque (Lynnfield), who led all riders by raising more than $7,000 for this year's Reid's Ride. Other top fund-raisers included Meredith Greeno (Brighton), Jane Greeno (Concord), Liz Joyce (Danvers), Ed DeFusco (Danvers), Rachael Sacco (Haverhill), Mike Marra (Lynnfield) and Garrett McNeill (Lynnfield).
Top honors for team fund-raising went to "Babo-Stride"(Team Captain Meredith Greeno) and to "Falcon Fighters" (Team Captain Jackie Bourque); combined, the two teams raised more than $15,000. Other top team fund raisers included "Team Boston College", "Team Funder (Pfizer-Andover)", "Team Lyons", "Team Danvers Diehards", "Team Danvers Fire", and "Team McNeill".
The 2010 Reid's Ride recognizes dozens of businesses that supported the event with generous donations of food, refreshments, supplies, services, and raffle prizes. Among these generous donors are: Amylou Photography; Bianco & Sons; Baubles Fine Jewelry; Countryside Deli; Crosby's Market; Fuddruckers Restaurants; Kennebunk Beach Realty; Landry's Bicycles; Limousines by Liz; Lynnfield Meat & Deli; Lyons Ambulance Service; Mariposa; Meltharb's; Prince Restaurant; Rainbow Balloons; Sachem Signworks; Shaw's; Stop & Shop; The Priestley's Fine Photography; and Universal Screening Studios.
Dunkin Donuts was again the event's corporate sponsor, with franchisees of Dunkin Donuts restaurants along the Reid's Ride route providing generous support to help underwrite costs of the event. Dunkin Donuts staff was also on-site to provide complimentary beverages to Reid's Rider participants.
Major financial support was also supplied by DanversBank, Pfizer-Andover, and Beverly Hospital.
Volunteers are another critical ingredient in the success of the Ride. The Ride is particularly grateful to the following committees and chairpersons: Balloons & Route Marking (Nancy McNeill, Sue Canty); Bicycle Transportation (Arthur Bourque); Chase Team (Ben Marra, Paul Pisani, Pat Coppola); Data Analysis & Compilation (Joan, Jackie, and Katharine Bourque); Endicott Rest Area (Donna Marra, Debbie MacLeod, RN); Food Preparation (Bill Gustus, Lynnfield Rotary); Food Transport and Presentation (Gail Talis and Rosemary Fitzgerald); Photography (Bob Priestly, Amylou Astolfi and Doris Boghosian); Raffles (Eileen Pescatore, Janine Ianniciello); Registration ( Jonna Casey and Joyce Calagero); Rider Tracking & Check-out (Karen Strating); Rider Information Table (Janine Inanicello and Marie Cappola); Rider Transportation (Limousines by Liz, Martha Poti); Safety (Lyons Ambulance, North Shore Radio Associates); Stage Fort Park Decorating (Michele Moscone, Kevin Dillon); Stage Fort Park Operations (Ringo Tarr, Kevin Dillon, Carolyn Mazzola); Technical Support (Landry's Bicycles); and Water & Ice (Jim Dillon, Robert Sherr, Peter Lagorio).
Several civic and community groups, too, were critical to making the Ride safe, fun, and smooth-running. Those include: the Lynnfield Rotary; the Fire and Police departments of Lynnfield, Middleton, Danvers, Beverly, Manchester, and Gloucester; the Lynnfield School System and the Gloucester School System; Endicott College; and the Gloucester Department of Public Works.
About the Reid's Ride. Reid's Ride is the primary fund-raising event to benefit the Reid Sacco Memorial Cancer Research Fund. Reid's Ride is organized by the Reid R Sacco Memorial Foundation, an organization of volunteers committed to advocacy, awareness, and fund-raising toward finding better treatments-and someday a cure-for the cancers striking young adults. Those cancers include brain tumors, leukemias, lymphomas, melanomas, and sarcomas. Visit www. reidsaccofoundation.org or www.ReidsRide.org for more information.