As we have highlighted over the years, charity involvement is at the core of Team Sixcycle-RK&O’s mission. In addition to our official charity ride, the Tour of the Litchfield Hills, the team is honored to announce we will be joining our sponsor partner Health Warrior and Miles4Mary at ERRACE (http://www.errace.org) on July 12, 2014 in Avon, CT.

Team Sixcycle-RK&O and ERRACE

This year the ERRACE 50 mile ride is honoring Mary Russell - mother of Health Warrior’s Denver-based Road Warrior Johnny Russell.

Funds raised in Mary’s name will benefit Hartford Hospital’s Helen and Gary Gray Cancer Center, Indiana University’s Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, and Livestrong (the beneficiary of ERRACE). Mary was treated at Hartford Hospital and consulted with Indiana which is knowns as the foremost research center for Thymoma. To date, Miles4Mary has raised over $21,000 with a goal of $50,000 raised.

Donations to Miles4Mary can be made on PledgeReg: https://www.pledgereg.com/56816

Team Sixcycle-RK&O's Charlie Bird on Livestrong

Team Sixcycle-RK&O's Charlie Bird has been involved with the primary beneficiary, Livestrong, since 2002.

As he explains, Livestrong always puts on incredibly powerful events. The foundation defined the term "survivor" to mean anyone that has the disease, had the disease, or dealt with someone struggling with the disease. Sadly this means all of us. They are NOT a research organization. They find programs to help prevent future cases and provide funding to help ease the lives of patients and families before, during, and after treatment.

For example, I met a 17 year old kid at the Ride for the Roses in 2005. He was diagnosed with leukemia and was from a relatively poor family. Livestrong (Lance Armstrong Foundation at the time) paid for his visit to a reproductive center to insure that in the future he is able to have children, something that would not otherwise have been possible without the organization's support.

At all their events, they provide numbers saying "I'm a Survivor", "In Honor Of", and "In Memory Of" and you can write any name you want on there. It's the most important thing I'll pin to my jersey this year and if you join the event you will feel the same.

We are honored to be a part of this event as Johnny and Health Warrior’s guest and look forward to riding side by side with them to honor Mary and all those in our lives that have been affected by cancer.