There he goes, there he goes again! Mark Taft is blazing a fundraising trail to kick cancer in the as…phalt. Bravo, Mark! Keep those dollars rolling in.
Pan Ohio Hope Ride Dynamo Trailblazers raise at least $7,500 to support the mission of the American Cancer Society to end cancer as we know it, for everyone!
Proceeds from this year’s 328+ mile Pan Ohio Hope Ride fundraiser will support the Cleveland Hope Lodge. The American Cancer Society’s only Hope Lodge in the state of Ohio, the Joseph S. and Jeannette M. Silber Hope Lodge in Cleveland serves cancer patients and caregivers from throughout Ohio, across the country, and even other countries in the world. Money raised in excess of the operational budget will support other ACS Hope Lodges, where necessary.
A study indicates that approximately 42% of cancer cases and 45% of cancer deaths in the U.S. are linked to modifiable risk factors.
What does this mean and what exactly are “modifiable risk factors”?
These are habits, behaviors, or measures that can either increase or decrease your risk of cancer. That means you can take steps right now to reduce your risk of cancer such as:
Avoiding tobacco products and excessive consumption of alcohol,
Making healthy eating choices,
Participating in physical fitness activities,
Practicing sun safety (limiting UV exposure),
Vaccinating against HPV, if appropriate, and
Getting recommended medical screenings for early detection.
To learn more about the research on modifiable risk factors, visit bit.ly/4in10cancers.
We hope to see you on Tuesday, February 28, on Zoom for an educational and social online conversation about how to train and prepare for endurance cycling events.
Join our experts, triathlete and coach Bob Duncan and competitive cyclist and personal trainer María Del P. Vázquez, as they discuss how to create or customize a training schedule, how to prepare yourself and your bike for long, multi-day rides and more. We’ll also take your questions.
While the intent is to help new AND returning Pan Ohio Hope Riders jumpstart their 2023 ride training, you do not need to be a registered Pan Ohio Hope Ride (POHR) participant to join us for this virtual event. All budding and veteran cyclists are invited to attend to learn and even share their tips.
Topic: POHR Enrichment Series – Training & Preparation Join us: February 28, 2023 at 6pm Log-in at: https://zoom.us Meeting ID: 849 191 4291 Passcode: POHR23
As always, if you have any questions, email staff at PanOhioInfo@cancer.org or reach out to a member of the executive committee.
Bob Duncan, Panelist
In January Bob joined the American Cancer Society Pan Ohio Hope Ride team as Senior Development Manager. Bob loves hard work and considers cancer “a scourge that touches us all,” saying that he wants to use his skills to work himself out of a job (by ending cancer as we know it).
A triathlete and former Marine, Bob coaches three professional triathletes, one top American Masters marathoner, and Andrew Starykowicz, the first American to complete an Ironman in under eight hours. Additionally, he coached a Race Across America or RAAM (an ultra-distance road cycling event) team that finished second overall.
María Del P. Vázquez, Panelist
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, María has been an athlete her whole life, starting as a runner and eventually becoming an endurance cyclist. While successfully balancing work, family, and the demands of competitive sports, María has participated in a myriad of running, cycling, and triathlon events – including the Reve 2012 Tour de France Women’s Project, the Paris-Brest-Paris.
María also has set speed records as the first female cyclist (age 18-49 on a standard bike) to traverse Ohio both East to West AND West to East. A personal trainer by profession, she continues to participate in endurance cycling events as both rider and/or support crew for others.
With five volunteer event photographers submission thousands of photographs of the more than 200 Hope Riders and at least as many volunteers, it has taken a little more time than initially expected to put all five-days worth of the albums from the Pan Ohio Hope Ride 2022 in-person event together into albums. We’ve been posting them one event day at a time, but now all of the albums are live on Facebook.
We hope you’ll take some time to scroll through out 2022 Hope Ride, whether it’s your first look or a walk down memory lane. Watch for more photos and stories here leading up to the 2023 Hope Ride (July 20-23, 2023).
Will we see in our line up in July 2023? We HOPE so!!
Pan Ohio Hope Ride participants play to win in the fight against cancer, and we’re looking for cancer-fighting fans to help us tackle cancer this Super Bowl Sunday!
Before the kickoff, while watching one of those expensive commercials, at half-time or anytime during the big game, take time out to participate in our Kickstart Challenge.
Scroll down and click on “View All” (bottom of the Top Participants list)
Find a Pan Ohio player who has raised $0
Make a donation in any amount
That’s it! Donate high or low to watch the event fundraising total grow! Every dollar helps support the 2023 Hope Ride, which benefits cancer patients and caregivers staying for FREE at the Joseph S. and Jeannette M. Silber Hope Lodge in Cleveland, Ohio, while accessing lifesaving care at some of the country’s premier cancer treatment facilities.
Of course, if you know and love a Pan Ohio participant, feel free to contribute to their fundraising – we won’t throw a penalty flag on that play. After all, the goal is to end cancer as we know it, for everyone, and that’s always WIN-WIN!
Long-time Pan Ohio Hope Rider and prolific fundraiser Brian Bortz has come up with an ingenious take on the Super Bowl Squares fundraiser with his Puppy Bowl Fundraiser. Help him support not only POHR but an animal charity and earn a chance to win yourself!
At least one Hope Rider, Bill Paravano (technically his son Jeremy), still hasSuper Bowl Squaresavailable in their football fundraiser if you want to contribute for a chance to win some money for yourself…or for your own ride fundraising.
Of course, we’d love to have you literally JOIN TEAM POHR (or any POHR team) by registering to ride or signing up to volunteer, OR by donating to your favorite team or Hope Rider by visiting pohr.org today!
Be sure to share these fundraisers with your family and friends, and let’s score huge fundraising points to help cancer patients this weekend! GO POHR TEAMS!
You could buy your sweetheart a box of chocolate or flowers for Valentine’s Day, but why go the same old route when you could give the cycling enthusiast in your life an epic riding adventure instead – a fully supported bicycle tour of Ohio?
Not only is the Pan Ohio Hope Ride “the most fun you can have on two wheels” (that’s an actual testimonial from a returning rider), this charity tour raises money to help cancer patients.
You purchase a registration, and the recipient uses a special code to complete the sign-up process when they’re ready. Register yourself, and you can share this amazing experience with the one you love! Once registered, riders can start raising money immediately and earn rewards.
The Pan Ohio Hope Ride takes place across four days in July, covering approximately 328 miles of scenic Ohio landscapes. The in-person event is open to cyclists (18 or older) of all levels, and routes are selected with a variety of riding experience and abilities in mind. Cyclists can choose to participate for one, two, or all four days of the ride.*
Any registered participant who raises money and/or supports the event by recruiting sponsors, in-kind donors, or other participants qualifies for recognition gifts and Incentive Points that are redeemable for Pan Ohio merchandise.
*If the gift recipient wishes to participate at a level other than the one gifted (either higher or lower), our amazing Pan Ohio staff members can help with adjustments. Just send a message to PanOhioInfo@cancer.org.
Get a jumpstart on training for the Pan Ohio Hope Ride with this 24-week schedule created by Carrie McCoy of JustTri especially for Hope Riders.
The Pan Ohio Hope Ride in-person bicycle tour, benefiting the Cleveland Hope Lodge, is proud to welcome riders (age 18+) of all skill and ability levels and strives to provide the information, education, tools, and support riders need to have a safe, fun, and meaningful ride. This assistance takes many forms and begins early with training materials such as these that provide helpful information.
This detailed training guide enables you to start as early as today to build the strength and endurance needed for a multi-day ride covering 70-100 miles per day. The point of such a long training schedule is to enable you to build up slowly over time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start training later. This is meant as a guide to help get you thinking and working on your own personalized training plan.
We’ll also be hosting the POHR Enrichment Series virtual event on Tuesday, February 28, when expert panelists will offer hints, tips, and tricks as well as taking questions related to training and preparation.
And, of course, we must remind you to always check with your own doctor before beginning any exercise plan or training regiment and to make adjustments to the plan to meet your own physical fitness level and training needs.
What a great way to start the week…with a PAN OHIO SHOUT OUT to Dynamo Club Member Number Two: Mark Taft! Team captain of Kick’n the Asphalt out of Cancer, Mark is another repeat Dynamo Club Member, and he’s well on his way (nearly halfway) to Dynamo Trailblazer status. Not only is he a kick asphalt fundraiser, he’s a dedicated Hope Ride cyclist too. Mark travels from Florida to Ohio every July to participate in our epic Hope Ride.
POHR Dynamos raise $5,000 or more, and Dynamo Trailblazers raise at least $7,500 to support the mission of the American Cancer Society to end cancer as we know it, for everyone!
Proceeds from this year’s 328+ mile Pan Ohio Hope Ride fundraiser will support the Cleveland Hope Lodge. The American Cancer Society’s only Hope Lodge in the state of Ohio, the Joseph S. and Jeannette M. Silber Hope Lodge in Cleveland serves cancer patients and caregivers from throughout Ohio, across the country, and even other countries in the world. Money raised in excess of the operational budget will support other ACS Hope Lodges, where necessary.
Really, the team name says it all!Thank you, Mark, for your continuous support and can do attitude!
We want to give a HUGE PAN OHIO SHOUT OUT to our firstPan Ohio Hope Ride Dynamo Club Member of 2023, the incomparable Rhonda Hobdy! A member of (team) Adam’s Army, Rhonda is a repeat Dynamo, and she has been the first person to hit this number multiple years.
POHR Dynamos raise at least $5,000 and often more to support the mission of the American Cancer Society! Proceeds from this year’s 328+ mile charity cycling fundraiser will support the Cleveland Hope Lodge. The American Cancer Society’s only Hope Lodge in the state of Ohio, the Joseph S. and Jeannette M. Silber Hope Lodge in Cleveland serves cancer patients and caregivers from throughout Ohio, across the country, and even other countries in the world.
Thank you, Rhonda, for your dedication and support!
American Cancer Society Pan Ohio Hope Ride 