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RONA MS Bike Tours msbiketours.ca GEARING UP I 1

Tax ReceiptsAll tax receipts for RONA MS Bike Tours will be mailed prior to Dec. 31, 2011. If your donors contributed through the online fundraising system, they were able to print out a tax receipt immediately.

msbiketours.ca

2011

5 Tours across BC

TeamTalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Donor Dollars at Work . . . . . . . .4

Fraser Valley Grape Escape . . . . .5

Cowichan Valley Grape Escape . .6

Vancouver Scenic City Tour . . . . .7

Kamloops Thompson River Ride . .8

Okanagan Grape Escape . . . . . .9

Thank You to our Sponsors . . . .10

Totals raised in 2011 Totals accurate as of printing date

Fraser Valley Grape Escape $115,000

Vancouver Scenic City Tour $163,239

Cowichan Valley Grape Escape $350,000

Kamloops Thompson River Ride $51,000

Okanagan Grape Escape $59,194

MS Society of Canada, BC & Yukon Division

1501 – 4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4G7

604-689-3144 or 1-800-268-7582 or 1-866-991-0577 (YK Toll Free)

Information for those wanting to learn more about CCSVI or considering CCSVI

treatment Visit ccsvi.ca today!

In ThIs IssueTop Canadian Fundraiser Raises the BarTop Canadian fundraiser Kevin James recently took part in the MS Bike Tour of Champions in Nashville, Tennessee.

Along with ten other top fundraisers who each raised over $10,000 at last year’s bike tours, they represented the best of the best as ‘Team Canada.’

Kevin personally raised over $89,000 last year, largely through his own fundraising event, Kick for the Cure. As a long-time soccer player he has put his passion into play for the past six years through a huge 10-hour soccer tournament.

Says Kevin, “I was so fortunate to be able to be a part of the 2011 MS Bike Tour of Champions ride in Nashville. I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people from across Canada who all want to help end MS. The experience is one that I will not forget. The ride was awesome! Beautiful country views and rolling hills. The locals were very welcoming and treated us extremely well. I had the chance to share some of my fundraising ideas and hear some of my teammates’ ideas as well. I am looking forward to the next MS Bike Tour of Champions ride and encourage everyone to raise the bar and hit $10,000 so they can experience what I was so fortunate to experience this year!”

Kevin James, Captain, Team Woop de Woo

Kevin James at the MS Bike Tour of Champions in Nashville, TN.

$738,433 raised in BC!


Vancouver scenic City TourThis year the Vancouver Scenic City Tour saw a change in location and in the weather! The sun was shining and 30 teams raised $134,666!

TeamMs highlights• Eight teams raised more

than $5,000 each and earned a tent in the TeamMS tent village. Congratulations to: Team CSL, Keep Pedaling, Moving & Shifting Gears, Rita Bees, IPSA International, RBC Capital Markets Old Dawgs, Hale & Hearty, YouGoGang, Sarah’s Super Awesome Friends Vol. 5.0. The Carr Crew also joined

the tent village in the TeamMS legacy tent.

• Three teams this year had 15 members, including Top Friends and Family Team, Rita Bees, who raised $11,192.

• Team CSL won honours as the Best Dressed Team and Top Corporate Team, raising a remarkable $17,393!

• Sarah’s Super Awesome Friends Vol. 5.0 won the Team Spirit Award. Captain Sarah Matheson was joined

by her family and friends for their fifth year in the tour. This year, they made and distributed buttons to all of Sarah’s Super Awesome Friends to show their support.

Caitlin Langridge, 604-602-3202 [email protected]

Fraser Valley Grape escapeThis year 13 teams rode through the Fraser Valley wineries in gorgeous weather. They raised a combined total of $96,000!

TeamMs highlights• The Carr Crew was the

Top Family & Friends team, raising an incredible $20,190.

• Team Vitala, led by top fundraiser Erica Enns, was the Top Corporate Team, raising $16,988.

• After having done the Vancouver Scenic City Tour for several years, Pat Wilson and her team, Easy Riders, joined the Fraser Valley

Grape Escape tour. They raised $9,662!

• The Shark Club Langley team awarded a jersey to the cyclist with the most spirit and inspiration: Terry Hackett from Team Vitala. Terry raised $3,605 after telling his donors he’d

wear a pink tutu if he could raise $3,000. He wore the tutu the entire first day of the tour.

Caitlin Langridge, 604-602-3202 [email protected]

Terry Hackett from Team Vitala

TeamMs highlights from across BC!

Easy Riders

Team CSL


Cowichan Valley Grape escapeThis year’s bike tour was a fun-filled overnight experience that participants from as far away as New Zealand enjoyed! Thirty teams raised $300,659!

TeamMs highlights• RONA launched the team

MS fundraising season for bike with a BBQ/Carwash day. Two RONA teams raised $9,000.

• The Neverblue Rider Village was as vibrant as the Spandex Storm team that sponsors it! Riders came back to the village after the first day of riding to enjoy a beer garden, delicious appetizers, great music and some well-deserved massages.

• We’re honoured to host the top bike team in Canada! Team Woop de Woo did it again, raising an amazing $120,000! Their motivation and dedication to be a part of ending MS is not only amazing, but contagious!

• The Devils & Divas took the Team Spirit Award to a new level. Dressed in complete drag they certainly played up to their mischievous name! Not only can they dress up, they can also fundraise too! They were the Top Corporate Team, raising $15,656.

• The Cedar Grove Riders continue to show their dedication and support to the tour. This team, made up of the best roofers in town, raised $13,350 this year!

sukhi Tomana, 250-388-6496 [email protected]

Kamloops Thompson River RideThe top teams for the Thompson River Ride are beyond compare! They did an amazing job fundraising this year. All 20 teams really showed what we can do when we put our bikes together!

TeamMs highlights• The YouGoGang were back

in full force and raised an incredible $11,805.

• The Tabroosky Pedalers was the largest team. Twenty-nine team members dressed all in red and wore feather boas! They raised over $6,750.

• Best Team Spirit/Attire: Team Loki (BC)

• Best Team Name: New Gold Block Cavers for a Cure

Trina Radford, 250-314-0773 [email protected]

New Gold Block Cavers for a Cure

Team Woop de Woo

YouGoGang

Vancouver Island Health Authority, Devils & Divas

RONA Flatbottoms


Okanagan Grape escapeTeam members travelled far and wide to participate in the Okanagan Grape Escape Bike Tour to sip, savour and cycle to end MS!

TeamMs highlights• Ride Hard from Salmon Arm

was the Top Friends and Family Team and had a great time sipping on wine and savouring the scenery after raising $4,580 to end MS. One of the team members travelled from Ontario to participate in the ride!

• RONA was the Top Corporate Team.

• Rounding out the top teams

was Will Ride for Wine from the Lower Mainland and the Border Jumpers from Saskatchewan.

Miriam King, 250-762-5850 [email protected]

Team RONA

Ride Hard

Donor Dollars at Work: equipment Provision ProgramThe funds you raise help buy equipment to enhance the lives of people living with Ms in financial need.

I just can’t thank you enough for providing the scooter for me, at this time nothing could have improved my life more. I live in a wonderful area near many amenities that I never had the chance to visit before because I didn’t want to be a burden to my family and friends. I feel like a bird that has just been let out of its cage.

I have met so many new people. You have opened up a whole new world for me and without the expense of taxi cabs. It is absolutely like a new beginning for me.

I can’t tell you how much this has also helped to improve my mood and sense of independence. I feel like I won the lottery! Don’t ever doubt that the work you do is absolutely essential and beneficial to people in my position.

Susan in Penticton

Susan in her new scooter.

Last year, the Equipment Provision Program in BC & Yukon helped 228 people obtain equipment to enhance their quality of life.

Will Ride for Wine


The Fraser Valley’s late spring weather did not

disappoint our Grape Escape riders. The weekend was beautiful.

We welcomed back Lotusland Vineyards to the route thus extending the long route for our more experienced and adventurous riders.

$115,000 Raised!

Join us next year!June 2 & 3, 2012 Contact: Jason Hulbert 604-602-3211 [email protected]

Top Individual Erika Enns $5,270

Top Friends & Family Team The Carr Crew $20,190

Top Corporate Team MS Team Vitala $16,988

Top Rookie Terry Hackett $3,605

Saturday night’s Mexican- themed Fraser Valley Fiesta kicked off with the screening of game two of the Stanley Cup Final. The Canucks won, so everyone left happy.

Day two was welcomed by an equally beautiful day and the scenic ride along the river was enjoyed. A stop at the popular Fort Wine Company

Fraser Valley Grape escape

was followed by an equally impressive stop at Krause Berry Farms for their always tasty lunch and homemade pies.

Planning for 2012 is already underway. Keep an eye out for new and exciting events at the 2012 Fraser Valley Grape Escape!


gourmet dinner and musical entertainment.

On day two, the fun continued when riders woke up to a pancake breakfast. Cyclists explored the Shawnigan Lake region visiting more wineries and the famous Merridale Cidery.

Participant Gary Warner sums up the tour, “Riding in the Cowichan Valley Grape Escape was a fantastic experience, leaving me with great memories of a truly supportive community working together for a common cause:

Over 260 riders geared up for the Cowichan Valley

Grape Escape and explored local wineries, galleries and farms while cycling through breathtaking scenery.

Day one of the ride offered three route options: 40 km, 70 km and a 100 km Century Ride for those cyclists looking for a challenge. After participating in some wine tasting at the various points of interests such as Enrico Winery, participants came back to a beer garden and more wine tasting in the Neverblue Rider Village. The day finished off with a

$350,000 Raised!

Join us next year!July 7 & 8, 2012 Contact: Sukhi Tomana 250-388-6496 [email protected]

Top Individual Kevin James $90,305

Top Overall Team Woop de Woo $120,000

Top Friends & Family Team MS Miracle Spinners $31,630

Top Corporate Team MS Devils & Diva $15,656

Top Rookie Colleen Kovacs $3,795

Spirit Award Devils & Divas

to eliminate MS. I met an incredible number of wonderful event volunteers, MS Society organizers and experienced the warm hospitality of the wine-growing community over the two days. I came home feeling proud and honoured to be a part of such a caring, soulful and generous event.”

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to the many local businesses, volunteers and participants who contributed to the success of the bike tour. We’re looking forward to doing it all again next year!

Cowichan Valley Grape escape

Top Canadian

Team

Gary Warner

Top BC Rookie


A year of exciting changes highlighted the Vancouver

Scenic City Tour. A new event site complimented the tour this year putting us less than a block from the city bike routes. Over 90% of this year’s ride took place on bike routes. Since rider safety is paramount for all our bike events, this was a welcome change from using the major road networks.

$163,239 Raised!

For the first time in four years, Scenic City riders spent a beautiful day in the sunshine.

Riders capped off the tour by enjoying the fantastic BBQ provided by the Terminal City Club, and enjoying post-tour massages from Spa Utopia.

The tour was a resounding success in all aspects and will surely be a building block for the 2012 event.

Look for the launch of our new fundraising system in the

next few months. The new system includes some exciting new features to help you communicate with donors in your networks.

Vancouver scenic City Tour

Join us next year!August 12, 2012 Contact: Jason Hulbert 604-602-3211 [email protected]

Top Individual Myrna Hastings $5,946

Top Friends & Family Team Rita Bees $11,192

Top Corporate Team MS Team CSL $17,393

Top Rookie Rick Morgan $1,711


Photo by Matt Grono

This year’s Thompson River Ride really showcased

the beauty of the Kamloops Thompson region. The fall weather was incredible with blue skies and sunshine all day. Local, sustainable farmers

$51,000 Raised!

Join us next year!September 9, 2012 Contact: Trina Radford 250-314-0773 [email protected]

Photo by Sasha Lees

Top Ten Fundraisers L-R: Myrna Hastings $10,720, Dino Gnoato

$2,590, Susan Whittaker $2,132, Michelle Hennig $1,293, Duane

Hennig $1,377, Leianne Anderson $1,050, Heidi Von Schoening

$1,470, Britt Antoniuk $1,229, Lance Edwards $1,900. Missing

from photo: Martin O’Keane $1,670.

Photo by Sasha Lees

Kamloops Thompson River Ride

and producers contributed significantly to the ride this year and did a great job highlighting delicious local food.

The Adventure Challenges added to the whole experience as well; especially the puzzle challenge at Rest Stop Two!

All of our riders, volunteers and sponsors made the Thompson River Ride memorable and a ride to come back to. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this year’s RONA MS Bike Tour a success.

Top Individual Myrna Hastings $10,720

Top Team YouGoGang $11,805

Top Rookie Lance Edwards $1,900


The second annual Okanagan Grape Escape

saw a 50% increase in both participants and revenue which sets the bar high for next year.

A special thank you goes out to all the amazing volunteers who made this event run smoothly for the participants.

At the Saturday evening celebration the “Duchess of Tushie Paper” and the

$59,194 Raised!

“Paparazzi Man” won prizes for the most creative hats and costumes at the Royal Wedding themed dinner party “In the Company of Royalty.”

RONA really is “Doing it Right” especially when it came to the ride in Kelowna. Representing the RONA store in Salmon Arm, Joel DeBoer was an all-star committee member when it came to getting donations for the event. Pat Gable, Operations

Okanagan Grape escapeManager of the Kelowna RONA put together a team of 19 participants who raised over $10,000. They were the Top Corporate Team. Matt Wachter, Store Manager of Kelowna RONA was like a ‘Magic Genie.’ All the committee had to do was ask and he provided! Plus, RONA hosted lunch on both Saturday at Vibrant Vines and again Sunday at the RONA store. Thank you RONA!

Join us next year!September 8 & 9, 2012 Contact: Miriam King 250-762-5850 [email protected]

Top Individual Jennifer Walters $2,500

Top Friends & Family Team Ride Hard $4,500

Top Corporate Team MS Team RONA $11,046

Top Rookie Alex Duffield $1,560


Thank You to our Sponsors!

Domaine de Chaberton • QualiTime Printing 2007 Ltd • McDonald’s, Sumas • The View Winery • Camelot Estate Winery • Lavender Farm • House of Rose • Ricky’s Kelly O’Bryan’s • Eastside Marios • Westjet • The Cove Restaurant • Aqua Pure Premium Water • Coast Canadian Inn Kamloops • Aaron Krausert • Cobs Bread

Budget Rentals • Mt. Paul Golf Course • White Spot • Kamloops Triathlon Club • Old Dutch Foods • Gardengate Training Centre • Summit Gourmet Meats Rotaract Fusion • Thistle Farm • Total Balance Health and Fitness • Interior White Water Expeditions • Riversbend Orchards • Sunrivers Organics

Gardengate Horticulture Program • Bicycle Café • Chapters • Runner’s Sole • Taboo Cycles • Investor’s Group • Sunpeaks Resort • Aberdeen Mall

Can Am Mobility • Kelowna Ford • Century 21 Assurance Realty • Urban Harvest • The Bean Boy H2O4U • Northview Orchards • Sun-Rype Products • Vibrant Vines Vineyards

Title National

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Community

Supporting

Thank you to the hundreds of Ms hope Volunteers across BC! "The RONA MS Bike Tour is a great event. It’s nice to see so many people involved in so many different ways. I feel very proud to be a part of it."

Karen Gee MS HOPE Volunteer, Vancouver

Denny’s, Walnut Grove

First Student Canada

MS Hope Volunteer Karen (Left) and Gina

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