February 21, 2010 Bend OR- Athletic Club of Bend and Tour des Chutes Indoor Cycling Ride for Cancer

Ride for Yourself – Ride for Someone You Love.  On Saturday, February 21, 2010 an indoor cycling event was held at the Athletic Club of Bend.  Hosted by the club, this ride raised monies to support   Tour des Chutes and it’s beneficiaries: St. Charles’ Survivorship Program and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Athletic Club of Bend is located at 61615 Athletic Club Drive.  To  learn more about future events visit www.tourdeschutes.org or the Athletic Club of Bend at www.athleticclubofbend.com.

The Tour des Chutes is a multi-distance cycling event (rides ranging from 7 miles to 90 miles) will be held in Bend, Oregon. The 2010 event will be held July 17th. Over 1000 riders participated in the 2009 event, and the event raised $87,000. All proceeds go to The Lance Armstrong Foundation and the St. Charles Cancer Survivorship Program.

The Second Annual Spin for Cancer was held Saturday, February 20th. It was an
amazing success, raising over $2000! A good time had by all!

The Tour des Chutes would like to thank our event host…The Athletic Club of Bend
and all their dedicated staff for their wonderful efforts. Also a huge thank you to all
the event sponsors, and Tour des Chutes friends! Thank you ALL for your donations
on behalf of the St. Charles Cancer Center and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

THANK YOU !

athleticclubofbend.com |  www.tourdeschutes.org

Please join the Tour des Chutes, now on Facebook and Twitter

July 17th is the date for the best Tour des Chutes ride ever!
Registration opens April 1st!

If you think it’s too cold to ride your bike, this weekend a chance to take the ride indoors to support cancer survivors. The second annual indoor cycling ride at the Bend Athletic Club was on Saturday. More than sixty people showing to up to spin their way to support for cancer survivors. The event is part of Tour des Chutes Foundation’s year round strategy to raise fund for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Saint Charles Cancer Survivorship Program. Tour des Chutes founder, Gary Bonacker, a cancer patient himself, explained where he got the unique inspiration to get the event going.

“I actually had a chance to talk with Lance Armstrong and wanted to get his feel about how to go beyond being a cancer patient and what I can do, and so came up with the ride,” said Tour des Chutes organizer Gary Bonacker.

Bonacker says he chooses to be optimistic in his battle with brain cancer, saying turning to his bike is a necessity, his disease not allowing him to drive. Saturday’s spin for cancer raised over six thousand dollars.

See the full article: http://kohd.com/news/local/163301

BEND, OR –         Ride for yourself – Ride for someone you love. At some point everyone will be touched by cancer. Join the Athletic Club of Bend and Tour des Chutes Foundation on Saturday, February 20th, from 8am to 11am as local cycling and fitness instructors invite the community to participate in an indoor cycling event and workout. Proceeds will benefit the St. Charles Cancer Survivorship Program and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The ride will be set to music and prizes will be given away throughout the event. All ability levels welcome. Participants are invited  to bring their own indoor trainer and bike, or are welcome to use one of a limited number of indoor cycling bikes available to early registrants.  Registration is $25. Additional donations can be made to Tour des Chutes. Registration forms are available at the Athletic Club of Bend and Sunnyside Sports . The Athletic Club of Bend and The Tour des Chutes would like to thank all our valued sponsors.

Volunteers are needed to assist with the event and to loan indoor bike trainers for others to use during the ride. Trainers on loan need to be marked with name and contact information and dropped off to the Athletic Club of Bend by Friday, February 19th. Call Shana Coker at (541)385-3062 for more information.

The Athletic Club of Bend is located at 61615 Athletic Club Drive.  To learn more about this event visit www.tourdeschutes.org or the Athletic Club of Bend at www.athleticclubofbend.com.

The Tour des Chutes is a multi-distance cycling event (rides ranging from 7 miles to 90 miles) held on July 18, 2009 in Bend, Oregon. The 2010 event will be held July 17th, 2010. Over 1000 riders participated in the 2009 event, and the event raised $86,000. All proceeds go to The Lance Armstrong Foundation and the St. Charles Cancer Survivorship Program.

What a beautiful day and what a beautiful ride! Saturday, July 18th, 2009 was the 5th annual Tour des Chutes. Over 1000 riders participated in the multi-course ride that included rides from 7 to 90 miles.

The course was clearly laid out, the day spectacular, and the rest stops were plentiful. The Post Ride Party took the celebration to a new level! A delectable burrito bar was provided by a favorite Bend restaurant, Longboard Louie’s. And some of Central Oregon’s best artists filled the air with an assortment of exceptional music. With a diverse array of vendor booths, and 3 amazing raffle packages valued at over $900 each, there was never a dull moment!

Tour des Chutes 2009 hit several milestones: While capping out its 1000-rider limit and serving over 1300 burritos, its “green” vendor area generated just 3 bags of trash for the landfill. All food containers used were either recyclable or biodegradable. We’re almost as proud of that as of the fact that our event raised over $86,000 for our beneficiaries!

Make sure to join us next July 17th for Tour des Chutes 2010. We’ll have the same challenging and breathtaking course, fun and friendly rest stops, and terrific post-ride party, with new and exciting additions! Stay tuned for the specifics…

Thanks again to all of our sponsors, volunteers, riders, family and friends –

The Tour des Chutes couldn’t happen without you!

Check out the 2009 Tour des Chutes Finish Line photos here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgvoXcY63o

1. Together we will end the stigma of cancer and turn cancer victims into cancer survivors. Millions of people around the world suffer from cancer in isolation, victims not only of the disease but of social stigma. For all too many, a diagnosis of cancer can result in ostracism from colleagues, friends and even family, and cancer becomes a shameful condition that must be hidden. This stigma leads to a lack of early detection, failure to seek treatment and an increase in cancer mortality.

2. Together we will build an international grassroots movement that will take cancer from isolation to collaboration. Research shows increased mortality is often caused by a lack of resources and knowledge related to cancer awareness, screening, prevention, treatment and care. However, a third of cancers could be cured if detected early and treated adequately.

3. Together with world leaders, we will transform cancer from obscurity to priority.  Cancer kills more people than malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS combined. However, many governments devote few resources to fighting cancer and collect little information about its causes and effects. The LAF will work with world leaders to focus on developing international partnerships, cancer advocacy, research and data collection. The Foundation will kick off this effort at the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit in Paris at the end of the 2009 Tour de France

Ride the Tour des Chutes Bend, Oregon

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Ride for yourself | Ride for someone you love

First, I want thank you for your support in the 2008 Tour des Chutes (TdC). We raised $80,000 in 2008. An amazing amount of money from people who care about cancer survivorship and cancer research. Thank you from the TdC, Cancer Survivorship Program at St. Charles and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

This years TdC will be on July 18. Check our website  www. tourdeschutes.org for more details. The 2009 TdC planning is already under way. The post ride party will be better than ever! More live entertainment, awesome raffle package’s, improved lunch menu and an expanded vendor village. We are also working on a few new courses.

Please check out what our beneficiaries have been up to. The director of the Cancer Survivorship Program at St. Charles, Beth Larsen is doing an amazing job and the Lance Armstrong Foundation continues to help with all of cancers aspects, education, advocacy, research and survivorship. We are proud to be associated with these two organizations.

As I write this letter it is snowing outside. Changing of the seasons. See you all in July.

Livestrong and take care,

Gary Bonacker (founder of the Tour des Chutes)

Read the Lance Armstrong Manifesto