Ten Chapel Hill teens and two leaders reached their fundraising goal of $30,000 for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center July 17, just after crossing over the state line from South Dakota to Wyoming on bicycle. The money also will help send two pediatric cancer patients to Victory Junction in Randleman, N.C., a camp for kids battling cancer and other severe illnesses.
The group, dubbed “Lucky 13” – a play on the year 2013 – left the east coast June 10 from Havre de Grace, Md., heading some 3,700 miles west toward Astoria, Ore. With 2,000 miles under their wheels, the cyclists were thrilled to reach their fundraising goal before reaching the West Coast but haven’t lost sight of their goal of reaching the end of their journey. The cyclists are riding without a support vehicle and are carrying all they need on their bikes.
“It felt really good to reach our goal of $30,000 when we crossed into Wyoming, but we hope people keep following us and donating all the way to Oregon,” says Paris Buedel, a rising 10th grader at Carrboro High School. “We're now calling it an 'above and beyond' campaign, and the steepest part of the ride is still ahead of us.”
The teens, most of whom are members of Boy Scout Troop 845 in Carrboro, were recruited for the ride by Brian Burnham, an assistant scout master with Troop 845 and a three-time veteran of cross-country cycling, all benefitting UNC Lineberger.
Burnham said he is not surprised the group reached their fundraising goal ahead of schedule. “We had a strong showing of generosity by donors before we left Chapel Hill, both individuals and businesses,” he says.
Significant donations to UNC Lineberger on behalf of the Lucky 13 cyclists came from the following Chapel Hill businesses and organizations: Performance Bicycle, UNC’s Phillips Ambassadors Scholarship Program, L.E.K Consulting, Cirque Productions, Thomas Leech, DDS, Ideal Precast, Celeste Sloop, DDS, Julie Mol Orthodontics, Chapel Hill Children’s Clinic, Thundershirt, Carrboro Pizza Oven, Hershey and Heymann Orthodontics, Carolina Ventures, Holy Family Catholic Church, Calvert Holdings, High & Rubish Insurance, Pharpoint Research, Ruston Paving, PORCH, Calvert Holdings, Greenscape, Inc., Pieroni Family Dentistry, J.B. Buckley Construction, Keith Taylor, DDS, Auto Pro to Call, Dental Power, C& J Heating and Air, Montessori Community School.
The crew hopes to reach Astoria, Ore., by Aug. 18. To follow them, visit http://www.lucky13biketrip.com. To contribute, visit http://lucky13.kintera.org.