Believe it or not…today marks the countdown of 100 Days to the Finish Line of the 2014 Pan Ohio Hope Ride! And with that, we are excited to announce the Second Annual 100 Days to POHR Bike Raffle, courtesy of BikeSource! 100 Days to POHR Bike Raffle Details: From now until the Pan Ohio Hope Ride Recognition Dinner held on Day 3 of POHR, Sat. July 26, we will be holding a new fundraising contest. For every donation that you receive of $100 or more you will be entered to win a Specialized Bike donated by our Official Mechanic Sponsor – BikeSource. Bike Details: Beyond providing mechanical support for the Pan Ohio Hope Ride, BikeSource has graciously donated a bike for this contest. The bike model is a Specialized Secteur Elite Compact (Men’s) or Specialized Dolce Elite Compact (Women’s) valued at $1,200. (Winner will coordinate with BikeSource for Men’s or Women’s and sizing after drawing). Specialized Secteur Elite Compact (Men’s) Value $1,200 Specialized Dolce Elite Compact (Women’s) Value $1,200   Drawing Details: The drawing will take place at the Pan Ohio Hope Ride Recognition Dinner on Day 3 of POHR at Wittenberg University along with our GRAND PRIZE RAFFLE – ITALIAN VBT TRIP plus airfare for one, donated by sponsor, Vermont Bicycle Tours. You can find out about the Grand Prize Raffle (1 entry for every $500 you raise beyond the $500 minimum) and other Incentives here. For tips, customizable downloads, and fundraising resources please visit the Online Fundraising Toolkit

Volunteer Spotlight – Barb Milter

During National Volunteer Appreciation Week:  The Pan Ohio Hope Ride is excited to THANK all of our volunteers that help put on this event each year. It takes an army of over 1,200 volunteers from Start to Finish to keep our riders SAFE. Often times our volunteers are cancer survivors/caregivers themselves which brings an added amount of MEANING to why our cyclists are pedaling and the cheering/motivation that our volunteers do provides a whole lot of FUN!

One volunteer, Barb Milter, embodies the Safe, Fun, and Meaningful mantra not only during the four days of the Pan Ohio Hope Ride each summer, but also 2 to 3 times a week as a year-round volunteer for POHR! Every packet, bib number, mailing, and supply bin has been put together by Barb Milter and our event wouldn’t succeed without her. We asked her to share “Why I Volunteer” and you can read her story below.

Barb: From all of us in the POHR community – we cannot thank you enough for all of the time and effort that you have given us!

A note from Barb Milter – 04.08.14:

Five years ago, at my place of employment, I had the privilege of speaking with Jim Bond on several occasions. He always spoke of a ride that he was training for. After a lengthy discussion, he had finally suggested that I look at the brochure, in the waiting room area. So I did.

Upon reading the brochure, I quickly went to the Pan Ohio Hope Ride website and signed up to become a volunteer. It was a spontaneous decision, not knowing too much about what was ahead of me.

Being the navigator in a SAG car is an amazing experience. Four days of driving alongside the riders, cheering them on, ringing the cowbell, checking to make sure that they don’t need water refills or anything else we have in the supply box, and making sure that they don’t miss a turn, is always well received by the riders. But more than anything they appreciate the support and encouragement we provide along the way. The camaraderie between the riders and volunteers is something that I have never witnessed anywhere else before. It’s just a real ‘feel good’ experience.

Over the years, I learned that POHR is not just a ride. The POHR raises money for the Hope Lodges in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Not just anyone can be a part of this, because it is more than ‘just a ride’. It is a ride for hope. The participants all have a friend, family member, co-worker, etc. that have been diagnosed with cancer. We are a group of people that will not settle for a simple plan of care – it is our goal to make sure that the patients get the very best care that is available to them. To see the riders pedal their hearts out as they remember who they are riding for is truly an emotional experience for me.

As I support the riders, I think of the many friends and family that I have lost to cancer. I also know many people who are currently being treated for cancer. While I do not ride a bicycle, I just know that giving my time to volunteer on this ride is something I can do to honor their survival or memory.

-Barb Milter – POHR Volunteer

Visit Here to sign up as a Volunteer for the American Cancer Society Pan Ohio Hope Ride

#National Volunteer Week! Calling All 2014 POHR Volunteers!

It’s NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK!

It’s National Volunteer Week and here at American Cancer Society, we want to say THANK YOU for helping us finish the fight! We have over 3 million volunteers helping us fight cancer. If you’re one of them, take a bow!

Calling all Volunteers for the 2014 Pan Ohio Hope Ride!

Speaking of volunteers…The 2014 Pan Ohio Hope Ride is looking for an army of volunteers to help out with this year’s event!!! Did you know, it will take close to 1,500 volunteers to support the ride in 2014? There are many different Volunteer Opportunities – http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/CommunityFundraisingPages/CFPFY12ECBike?sid=5498&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=61578- including:

• Water Stops
• Kick-Off Dinner
• START LINE
• FINISH LINE
• Recognition Dinner
• Registration
• Massage Therapy
• Support & Gear Drivers/HAM Radio Operators*** (SAG Drivers & some HAM Radio Operators will travel with the Pan Ohio Hope Ride for all four days or a portion of the ride. Anyone interested in this volunteer opportunity has a separate registration form on the volunteer page and will be contacted with more details about upcoming trainings and lodging reservations.)

If you or a friend, family member, or co-worker is interested in helping out with the 2014 Pan Ohio Hope Ride please visit our Volunteer Section on the Pan Ohio Hope Ride Website.

There are also many opportunities for community groups and offices to volunteer their time together as a group. If you know of a volunteer coordinator within your company or an organization that you belong to, please have them sign up or contact us at panohioinfo@cancer.org for more information.

All opportunities are listed here!
FINALVolunteerOpportunitiesFlyer POHR 2014 04 04 14

#328POHRDAY Voting

#328POHRDAY  “Show us YOUR 328” Campaign Voting

Thank you to everyone that submitted a photo, fundraising idea, or video to us for the “Show us YOUR 328” contest!

As part of the contest we  are putting the top 4 ideas to a vote on the web for our most creative way that our riders showed us their “328” for a prize of $328 donated anonymously to their individual fundraising campaign or their team.

Please help us decide the winner by voting before this Sunday, April 6!

Entry # 1 – Chicks support 328/POHR

Rider – Heather Van Meeter is raising funds with some help of these fine chicks 2,500 miles away in Oregon!

Entry #2 – 328 goes Big

Rider/Miami Valley Market Lead- Rick Benning and his team – The Road Fish celebrated 328 at their latest get together in Springfield!

Entry #3 – 328 travels the South

Rider – Michael Brown took his 328 Magnet on a road trip to the South!

Entry #4 – 328 in Maryland

Top Fundraiser – Jim Bond – found our kind of highway near the Inner Harbor