National Ski Patrol Volunteers Take On Lung Association Treks

The 9th Annual Cycle the Seacoast event took place on May 6th, 2018 with over 400 cyclists and 200 volunteers participating in support of the American Lung Association. This one-day, multi-route cycling event is held atRedhook Brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire each year on the first Sunday of May. Cyclists choose from 25, 50 or 100 miles route options and raise funds to support the American Lung Association’s mission: to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through research, education, and advocacy. Cycle the Seacoast has raised over $117,000 this year for the American Lung Association

The 34th Trek Across Maine event took place on Father’s Day weekend with over 1,600 registered cyclists and 600 volunteers participating in support of the American Lung Association. The three day cycling event has gone from Sunday River Ski Resort to Belfast, Maine each year on Father’s Day weekend for 34 years. Starting in 2019, the Trek Across Maine route will be changing. Visit TrekAcrossMaine.org to see the new route for the 35thanniversary. Cyclists will choose from a one-day, two-day or three-day route and raise funds to support the American Lung Association’s mission. The Trek Across Maine raised over 1 million dollars this past year.

The National Ski Patrolprovided volunteers to participate as both riding medics and route vehicle drivers for both events. The American Lung Association ensures safety along each route by providing numerous volunteer-driven vehicles. These vehicles are used to transport cyclists as needed to the next rest stop or finish line. The American Lung Association is very thankful to have had National Ski Patrol members John Kane and Chris Pringle participate in Cycle the Seacoast and Gerard Desjardins in the Trek Across Maine as route support vehicle drivers. John Kane is the Eastern Division Director and a Sunday River Patroller and Chris Pringle is a board member of NSP.

“The National Ski Patrol (NSP) and Subaru of North America are honored to help serve these American Lung Association events and its purpose for one day wiping out this disease that afflicts so many,” said John Kane. “This is our second year helping out in our SAG (Safety and Gear) role. We appreciate the opportunity to work with this fine group of volunteers that give so much of their time and money raised to this great cause. We are just happy to be part of it. We are looking forward to many years ahead of supporting the ALA with the Cycle the Seacoast and Trek Across Maine events.”

Gerard Desjardins, NSP Patrol Director at Lost Valley Ski Resort, volunteered for his second year at the Trek Across Maine. “The crew I have been working with are great folks, some of which have been volunteering at the Trek Across Maine for many years. I enjoy volunteering for a great cause. My mother died of lung disease and while she did quit smoking, it was too late. If there had been a scanning after quitting smoking program she might have lived longer. National Ski Patrol is a huge sponsor and promoter of education and safety for many summer bike patrols. Our work does not end after the snow melts. I look forward to next year on behalf of National Ski Patrol I say thank you for having us to support a great cause.”

“The Lung Association leans on our family of volunteers to make all of our cycling events a success every year – and we could not be more thankful for their work and dedication,” said Jeff Seyler, Chief Division Officer of the American Lung Association. “Many of the volunteers and participants have been personally touched by lung disease, and getting to know them and learn their stories is part of what inspires our Treks throughout the country. Special thanks to the National Ski Patrol and their team for maintaining the safety of all our riders and for making the Cycle the Seacoast and Trek Across Maine events especially meaningful for the local communities in New Hampshire and Maine.”

Tony Curro of the Eastern Division of the National Ski Patrol and a Sunday River Patroller has been participating in Cycle the Seacoast for 5 years and Trek Across Maine for 8 years as a riding medic. “The work of the American Lung Association is especially important to me as my mother had lung disease. Having the Subaru/NSP Outback vehicles was a great addition this year and cyclists riding the event immediately recognized the function and importance of those vehicles,” Tony said. Tony has worked closely with the event manager Melissa Walden to help recruit medically certified cyclists to participate as “riding medics” along each route at Cycle the Seacoast. Over the last 5 years he has helped to connect numerous NSP members with the American Lung Association’s Cycle the Seacoast event like Deborah Reynolds who is a NSP member at the Lost Valley Ski Resort and participated in the 25 mile route alongside Tony.

Erich Bohrmann and Meredith Currier are both NSP members who participated in the 100 mile route at Cycle the Seacoast. Erich explains, “This ride is beautiful. From colonial Wentworth, the Oceanside mansions in Rye, the inland horse farms and old mills back to the ocean, the variety of scenery, landscape and architecture make this a gem of a tour – sign me up every year.”

Meredith also participated in the Trek Across Maine alongside Dan Elliot and Tony Curro, both Sunday River NSP. Meredith says, “I’ve been a trek medic since 2009, enjoying the ride on all sorts of bikes. No matter what I am pedaling, I am grateful for the mission of ALA and honored to ride for the organization. I have lost three close relatives to lung cancer – the most recent was my uncle, who passed away on the last day of the Trek this year. Needless to say, he was very present with me on this ride. For me, the Trek is all about support. American Lung Association supports the medical and research community in treating patients with lung disease and lung cancer. The riders support them through their fundraising. We, as medics, support the riders. Ski patrol is similar that way – it is powerful to know that other patrollers are there for you just as you would be there for them. The energy that comes out of that bond of interconnection - both with other riders on the trek, and the larger community working for healthy air and lungs - keeps us coming back year after year.”

Roger Begin, Jim Wackell, Doug Alford are all Sunday River Patrollers that participated as riding medics on the 50 mile route. “I found it to be a great way to start my cycling season while supporting ALA. It was a fun opportunity to be part of this well supported ride along the scenic NH coastline,” says Begin.

Jim Wackell stated, “Participating as a volunteer medic in Cycle theSeacoast has been a rewarding way to blend my enjoyment of cycling with a worthy cause. It's nice that what started as a gratifying niche in the ski industry 20+ years ago has found a way to transcend the seasons to provide support to events like Cycle the Seacoast. A special thanks to Tony for making the connection between NSP's skill set and passion for volunteerism with the American Lung Association. The ride was well organized and the attention that the staff gives to logistical details is what makes this ride such a pleasure to support.”

The American Lung Association welcomes the partnership with the National Ski Patrol and invites NSP members to consider participating in the Cycle the Seacoast and the Trek Across Maine next year. For more information or to register to volunteer for either 2018 event, visit BikeTrekNewEngland.org. Please contact Melissa Walden, event manager, with any additional questions at 207-624-0306 or Melissa.Walden@Lung.org.

Guest post by Melissa Walden, event manager, American Lung Association

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.