Time to make plans for the re-vamped West Kootenay Glacier Challenge
By Bruce Fuhr
The route may have been changed — just for this year — but the goal remains the same for participants in the West Kootenay Glacier Challenge — help fight MS (Multiple sclerosis).
Riders and donors alike are already gearing up for the annual race set for August 22-23 in Nelson and area.
“Everyone who joins us, whether as a rider, a donor or a volunteer is helping to reach our goal — to end MS,” said Leona Dimock, West Kootenay Glacier Challenge Bike Tour Coordinator.
Not only has Dimock been busy with organizing, but the committee has spent most of the spring re-working the course after learning crews would be paving 40 kilometers of highway through on the race course this summer.
“Our Route Coordinator started communicating with Selkirk Paving back in April about the plans for resurfacing and they were very willing to work with us and accommodate our cyclists and volunteers through the construction zone, but in the end we decided for the sake of safety, as well as the quality of the experience for our riders, to change the route to avoid that area,” Dimock explained.
The new route means the ride, set for Saturday August 22, begins in Nelson, travels to Salmo before returning back to Rotary Lakeside Park for the traditional Save-On-Foods Celebration Dinner.
Sunday, riders leave Lakeside Park, head over the Big Orange Bridge on Highway 3A for Proctor and back to Nelson.
“It was a big decision to change course and we put a lot of thought into the new route,” Dimock said, adding the new course is down in kilometers to 154 km.
“We are working hard to make sure the 2015 tour is as much fun as our previous ones have been.”
“This route change is just for one year and we plan to return to our original route for 2016 but this shorter version is giving us an opportunity to perhaps do a few things that aren’t possible on our longer route,” Dimock adds.
“It also presents an opportunity for riders who may be a bit daunted by the longer ride to be able to participate in the MS Bike. It’s a great event for a great cause.”
Proceeds from MS Bike fund vital MS research and programs & services that enable those affected by MS. To participate, all you need is a bike and a passion to end MS.
Multiple sclerosis (MS), also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata, is an inflammatory disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a wide range of signs and symptoms, including physical, mental, and sometimes psychiatric problems
This tour is run by the West Kootenay Chapter of the MS Society and the money raised supports the programs and services we offer in the West Kootenay and Boundary areas to people living with MS and their caregivers,” said Dimock.
“It also helps us support vital research for new treatments, and ultimately to find a cure.”
The top fundraiser in the West Kootenay Glacier Challenge receives a $200 gift certificate for dinner at their favourite restaurant in Nelson compliments The Nelson Daily.
For more information on the MS Bike Tour — West Kootenay Glacier Challenge go to http://mssoc.convio.net/site/TR?fr_id=3881&pg=entry or contact Leona Dimock at 1-866-352-3997 or email
leona.dimock@mssociety.ca
