4K for Cancer
This was part of the group of bicycle riders passing through Libby Saturday.
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If you would like more
information about the
4K for Cancer
organization, or to donate,
please visit their web site
at: 4Kforcancer.org.
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4K for Cancer
Cycle, Inspire, Unite
by Maggie Craig
July 24, 2011
A 4K for Cancer group of bicycle riders passed through Libby Saturday, on their way from Baltimore to Seattle to raise money in the fight against cancer. Reaching Libby ended Day 56 of a 68-day journey.
4K for Cancer is a non-profit organization operating under the motto of "Cycle, Inspire, Unite." Young adults, mostly college students or recent college graduates, make cross-country bike rides every summer with the goal of uniting communities across the country in the fight against cancer. The objective is 4000 miles in 70 days.
Started as a student group from Johns Hopkins University ten years ago, this is the eleventh year for the organization, and the first year to have three separate trips. Previously, there was only one trip, from Baltimore to San Francisco. This year, a total of 85 riders left Baltimore May 29 on their three separate trips: Baltimore to San Francisco, Baltimore to Portland, and Baltimore to Seattle. Both the Portland and Seattle groups have traveled through Montana.
Libby’s group of 25, headed to Seattle, will reach their destination August 4. The riders are tasked with raising money for the organization and then facing the challenge of making the grueling cross-country trip on a bicycle. The physical and mental challenges are enormous, but most would say worth it as the riders remember loved ones battling cancer or envision their efforts as making a difference.
The riders pedal no less than 60 miles a day, and no more than 120. Their average is about 86 miles, six days a week. They stay in churches, YMCAs, schools, fire stations, or wherever they can find a free place to rest for the night. Coming from Kalispell Saturday morning, they were scheduled to stay at Libby High School Saturday night, with a dinner sponsored by the Methodist Church, and then head to Sandpoint on Sunday.
This is an inspiring group of young adults hoping to make a difference in the fight against the scourge of cancer. To learn more about the riders, the organization, or their trip, visit 4kforcancer.org.
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