Patti's Paladins Blog

Math lesson

2008-10-07T09:58:00.003-04:00

Today the MS website says we have collected $46,346.79 for the National MS Society, and one rider has informed me of $500 that isn't showing on his page yet. That's $46,846.79.

I just found a page from the Society telling me how much certain things cost. For instance, "$10,000 will provide a ramp at their home for 4 individuals living with MS." That's $2500 per ramp, which means we provided the means, potentially, for 18, almost 19 people to get ramps.

"$8300 will provide a stairway lift for 3 individuals..." We funded 16, almost 17 stairway lifts.

"$6000 will provide group therapy for 33 couples..."! 257 couples! That's a LOT of therapy!

An electric scooter is $1400. We could have funded 33 electric scooters, and gotten change.

A lightweight manual wheelchair is $450. $46,846.79 buys 104 of those!

$975 provides vehicle hand controls for 1 person with MS. $46,846.79 provides controls for 48.

$208 provides a wheeled walker with seat. $46,846.79 provides 225 walkers!

Now, these numbers don't quite jive with the numbers on http://bikeoha.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_OHA_BuckeyeBigBucks, but (a) my source for both sets is the National MS Society, and (b) the paper page I'm reading from is much more specific.

I don't know how much research $46,846.79 buys, or how many doses of what medicines. I do know it pays for almost half of the chapter president's salary according to Charity Navigator.

If you're really into specifics, you can do all the math again for 81% of $46,846.79, which is the portion of our collection that goes to programming, and not admin or fundraising costs.

Still, no matter how you slice it, we did some good again this year.

Maybe I'll see you all at lunch on Saturday! http://oha.nationalmssociety.org/site/Calendar/2035680079?view=Detail&id=163822

Ride on!

Not No. 1, but I'll take it.

2008-10-01T13:53:00.004-04:00

We beat Mellen. :-)

It looks like we are the #1 "Friends & Family" team and the #3 team overall in this year's bike MS Pedal to the Point.

1 - Team Developers Diversified ($83,413.00)
2 - Team Deloitte Cleveland ($60,878.28)
3 - Patti's Paladins ($46,346.79)
4 - Team Mellen ($42,939.78)
5 - Team Parker ($34,690.00)
6 - Blu Team ($24,823.00)
7 - ONE * ($22,356.00)
8 - Jo-Ann ($20,663.00)
9 - Chariots of Fire ($19,160.14)
10 - The Bee's Hive ($18,676.00)

Additionally, 16 Paladins (plus Rebecca and myself) acheived Top Fundraiser status. That's one third of the team.

Wean, Gordon $4,091.66
Ogonek, Donna $3,900.00
Substelny, Michael $3,200.00
Sinnenberg, Kris $3,050.00
Mazzone, Tom $2,652.00
Bales, Don $2,250.00
Formoso, Mj $1,854.84
O'Connor, Daniel (Buddy) $1,695.00
Alexander, Lisa $1,538.92
Duden, Kevin $1,537.00
Bell, Sam $1,375.00
Propp, David $1,355.00
Petti, Anne $1,154.20
Tejada, Angelito $1,050.00
Learn, Ethan $1,026.00
Brennan, Martha $1,025.00

My teammates ROCK.

Quotation of the Day for September 14, 2008

2008-09-15T10:20:00.003-04:00

"Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds. The airplane simply carries a man on its back like an obedient Pegasus; it gives him no wings of his own."

- Louis J. Helle, Jr., Spring in Washington.

Quotation of the Day for September 8, 2008

2008-09-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

"Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There's something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym." - Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

Journey of a lifetime

2008-08-26T00:02:00.000-04:00

PENINSULA - Kevin Madzia and Ray Query left Cleveland Sunday afternoon to begin an 8-month journey to Ushuaia, Argentina.
And the pair from Northeast Ohio packed light because 15,000 miles is a long way to ride a bicycle.

Continue reading...

The Heights Observer

2008-08-15T00:11:00.002-04:00

The Heights Observer has featured us on their website. Check it out!

http://www.heightsobserver.org/read/1/5/a-poster-child-speaks-out

WOOO!

2008-08-15T00:05:00.001-04:00

We got 50!

Red Green RIDES!

2008-08-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

Uncle Red "pimps" his bicycle. 3 and a half minutes on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3xiLKJ9_4

Greater Cleveland Triathlon Olympic

2008-08-12T15:48:00.002-04:00

The top 10 finishers of the Greater Cleveland Triathlon, Olympic Distance, are as follows:

1 Mark Durno (T-1:53), 39, Fairview Park, OH 1:55:58
2 Matt Cymanski (T 2:00), 17, Hiram, OH 1:56:56
3 Bill Marut, 44, Painesville, OH 2:01:05
4 Jeff Guise (T-1:03), 21, Westlake, OH 2:03:25
5 Mark Siegel, 45, Solon, OH 2:04:54
6 Ian Hoffman, 40, Cleveland Heights, OH 2:05:09
7 Patrick Berardencei, 27, Medina, OH 2:05:45
8 Zachary Lewis, 32, Cleveland, OH 2:05:58
9 Martha Brennan, 38*, E Cleveland Oh 2:06:04
10 Aaron Campbell, 37, North Olmsted, OH 2:06:45

I'm telling you this because #6 Ian Hoffman and #9 Martha Brennan are both your teammates and mine in Patti's Paladins! Martha was the first female finisher!

The Olympic Distance or International Distance Race consisted of a .75 Mile Swim, 23 Mile Bike and a 10K Run. The race was this past Sunday, August 1o, in Mentor and surrounds.

Congrats to both of our competitors!

OooooooSHINY!!!! Part 2. The Next Day. Finally. Mission Accomplished: Now, Where's MY Flightsuit?

2008-08-07T01:23:00.004-04:00

Rick demonstrates the reflective effect of the "pattispaladins(dot)com" decal on the back of one of the t-shirts. It's all glowy! Nice and visible in our car's headlights, unlike our beloved mascot Sir Highwheeler, just above it!

Totally worth the extra 2 hours it took to apply; safety is REALLY important!

Check out the time stamp... we're a little punchy. (Just a little!) But the deed is done and done well. Thanks to Mike Kechisen and Transfer Express (and Rick for working a hard newbie shift at the presses), we're going to be one well-turned-out bike team!!

Paladins jersey pour Homme. Or summat...

2008-08-07T01:07:00.000-04:00

Reverse! Modeled by my own Co-Captain, it looks marvelous.

Much attention to detail has been paid. The website decal is special hi-reflective stuff for greater visibility.

Frankly, I just like to look at my husband, so this picture is partially gratuitous.

The finished product. With more to go.

2008-08-07T00:08:00.000-04:00

Front and back. Bath and fork. Yow. I think my eyes crossed there, a li'l bit...

This project is taking a million years. But the shirts and jerseys look sooooo awesome.

So so SO cool.

We're ImPRESSed... or Well on Our Way!

2008-08-06T21:50:00.000-04:00

Sir Highwheeler makes his first appearance of the evening on a woman's bike jersey. Looks good. Looks speedy!

Hot Off the Press!

2008-08-06T21:39:00.000-04:00

A pile of men's jerseys, ready for the next bit of logo-age. I think the next decal we do is Sir Highwheeler.

Oooo! SHINY!!

2008-08-06T20:48:00.000-04:00

THIS year, the Paladins website is going on our shirts. With reflective stuff, for added visibility! Marketing and safety first!

Fast Hand on Our Speedy Blue Jerseys

2008-08-06T20:42:00.002-04:00

Mike's hand (upper left-hand corner of the pic) is a blur, and the room is getting warmer, as we print the Paladins' jerseys and t-shirts for this year's Pedal to the Point to beat MS.

Major League Support Towards NMSS

2008-08-05T17:07:00.003-04:00

Major League Support Towards NMSS
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Last night I got to meet Indians great Joe Charboneau. The American League Rookie of the Year, 1980. You can read more about the evening (and with whom Rick and I spent our dinner...) HERE.

Well, I have actually met him before, but *this* time, seeing him, I knew about his wife having MS. I wanted very much to tell him that people care about her situation, enough to do something about it. (I did get that chance.)

So, with this knowledge, I took my BikeMS Team Captain cap to see if he would sign it. That was a success. But (thankfully) in more than one way: he seemed to have been moved by my (and our team's) commitment to this cause.

So in addition to Patti and my cousin Roger and my friend River, I'll be riding for Cindy Charboneau, when we ride Pedal to the Point.

I also gave him a Patti's Paladins 'business' card, so that if he happens to be interested, he can look us up. I hope he does. I hope he and Cindy take even more strength from the strong commitment to fund raising the whole of the Buckeye region has. I also hope that this year is the strongest year yet, for us and for all teams! The stronger we can be, the better the benefit for all who must deal with this wretched disease.

So many people in all "walks" of life need this cure. It was a special (though necessarily fleeting) moment.

I'm sure it'll be one from which I'll draw strength on the day of the ride.

(BTW: I've cropped the photo so the autograph cannot be used fraudulently.)

--rebecca.

Kudos to Patti's Paladin Martha Brennan!

2008-08-04T14:53:00.004-04:00

Martha took third place in the women's olympic distance of the Cleveland Triathlon yesterday! Her time was 2:32:23. This event included a 1.5 K swim, a 26 mile bike and a 10 K run.

Patti's Paladins Top 10 Fundraisers to date

2008-08-04T09:48:00.002-04:00

1. Ogonek, Donna $3,050.00
2. Wean, Gordon $2,800.00
3. Sinnenberg, Kris $1,845.00
4. O'Connor, Daniel (Buddy) $925.00
5. Alexander, Lisa $565.92
6. Newman, Wyatt $500.00
7. Petti, Anne $485.00
8. Getrost, Christina $450.00
8. Propp, David $450.00
10.Arendt, Andrea $436.00

Top 10 2008 bike MS teams by head count

2008-07-30T23:35:00.002-04:00

Team Mellen 76
Patti's Paladins 49
Team Deloitte Cleveland 47
Jo-Ann 35
MS Team FedEx 34
TEW Wheelers 32
Team MMO 28
Blu Team 26
Chariots of Fire 21
Wolf Pack 21

Patti's Paladins Top 10 Fundraisers to date

2008-07-28T15:46:00.003-04:00

Ogonek, Donna $2,880.00
Wean, Gordon $2,200.00
Sinnenberg, Kris $1,845.00
Petti, Anne $485.00
Newman, Wyatt $450.00
Alexander, Lisa $440.92
Propp, David $425.00
Arendt, Andrea $411.00
Bondy, Rick $345.00
Substelny, Michael $330.00

Notes from the Fund-Raising Grid Iron

2008-07-25T10:40:00.000-04:00

I wasn't sure if I should post here about our experience Tuesday night, after what we experienced. I did on my own blog. That changed on Thursday, when Matt from the NMSS Buckeye Chapter posted a comment on my blog. I now feel absolved of my apprehension.

Have you been trained to volunteer at a Browns Stadium concession stand yet?

Were you planning to do so? CLICK HERE to read about what was billed as "Team Leader training", which was actually a rally, sans training, sans information, they didn't even take pictures for ID badges. (Or click on the link in the upper left-hand corner labeled "Rebecca's blog" and scroll down to the right post. You'll know it!)

You're invited to read it even if you aren't planning to do the training. I wrote most of it during the experience.

This still looks like a good fund raising opportunity. We keep thinking about how fun it will be once we get into the booth and start serving customers. We think with optimism about the money potentially to be raised. We're just not enthusiastic about the management team from Delaware North. We've been assured we won't have much to do with them once we get into our booth. (Please don't ask how that's possible.)

I hope that those of you who had the chance to go to Browns training will find my Browns training report amusing. Please leave a comment on my blog. I'd really like to hear about your training experience.

-->R2.

BIKE TO WORK WITH CLEVELANDBIKES

2008-07-24T07:16:00.003-04:00

BIKE TO WORK WITH CLEVELANDBIKES, FINAL FRIDAY OF THE MONTH; START YOUR MORNING OFF WITH FREE COFFEE OR PASTRY FROM PARTICIPATING AREA COFFEE SHOPS - PHOENIX COFFEE, AJ ROCCO'S ESPRESSO BAR, ARABICA AT UNIVERSITY CIRCLE AND DEWEY'S FAIR TRADE ORGANIC COFFEE AT SHAKER SQUARE

ClevelandBikes, the 501(C)(3) not for profit organization dedicated to promoting bicycle riding as healthy sport, recreation and transportation, has partnered on their "Bike to Work" rides with area coffee to offer free morning coffee or pastry from our finest area coffee shops on the final Friday of the month. Now through September, ride to work, school or other activities and bring your bicycle helmet into a participating shop and receive a free small coffee or pastry (benefits vary with locations). The offer is valid on the final Friday of the month, from 7:00-10:00 AM, starting the Friday, July 25th.

Your participating local coffee shops:
Phoenix Coffee Shop (located throughout the area, in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, South Euclid and Lakewood)
AJ Rocco's Espresso Bar (819 Huron Road, near Prospect Avenue and East 9th Street)
Dewey's Fair Trade Organic Coffee Shop (Shaker Square on Cleveland's eastside)
Arabica at University Circle (11300 Juniper Road)

"Bike to Work" rides are on the final Friday of every month, now through September (July 25, August 29 and September 26). If you are new to riding to work, visit the website of the new Ohio "Bike Buddy/Ride Share" program (www.noaca.org) to be paired up with a more experienced rider and the Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op (ohiocitycycles.org) for helpful and safe riding tips.

Be your own renewable fuel (just add water, or coffee or a pastry from our Bike to Work partners)!

Save your gas money – Who needs it more, you or Exxon, Chevron, BP, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela?

Be active and get fit!

Most important, enjoy the ride!!

ClevelandBikes : When ClevelandBikes, Cleveland Benefits!
www.clevelandbikes.org

Kevin Cronin, Attorney at Law
The Brown Hoist Building
4403 Saint Clair Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44103-1125

Ph: 216.377.0615 or 216.374.7578
Fx: 216.881.3928

Annual Ohio City Bicycle Co-op members' meeting

2008-07-21T10:36:00.002-04:00

Dear OCBC members and friends,

Due to a communications error, you are getting this notice rather late: please RSVP by this Wednesday, 7/23 to attend the brunch. Sorry for my mistake: we hope to see you there!

The Annual Ohio City Bicycle Co-op members' meeting will be held at the Flat Iron Cafe (1/4 mile from OCBC) on Sunday July 27th from 10AM to Noon, to view the final stage of the Tour de France, and discuss (during the commercials) co-op members' business and election of trustees. This event is free (buy your own food off the Flat Iron menu) and open to all (member or not -- ClevelandBikes supporters and others will be joining us as well). RSVP is required by Wednesday July 23rd, so the Flat Iron can be sure to have enough food and tables. Bicycle parking will be available across Merwin Ave from the Flat Iron, and we'll have volunteers watching from window tables, but bring a lock if you have one!

Brunch will be followed by a Scavenger Hunt at 12:15, starting and finishing at OCBC, and lasting until 3PM. Fun prizes for top finishers in many categories.

RSVP for the brunch, and/or join the scavenger hunt for $5 (members) or $20 (non-members), on the calendar page.

See you then!
--
Jim Sheehan
Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op
1823 Columbus Rd
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216 830 2667
OhioCityCycles.org

Some more interesting links. Or I'm a monkey's uncle/aunt.

2008-07-18T14:14:00.002-04:00

See what happens when the world of art collides with bikes. Cool, huh? Just nod your head and make plans to go to the next Burning Man. (Early September, folks!)

Next! Who's got the coin for this way cool bike-mounted appliance??? The bad news? You have to buy all the parts separately, and no, it doesn't have the funny videos like THIS SITE. But it's (even with all the parts purchased separately) less expensive than either Blendtech or (my fave) Vita-Mix 5200, AND it takes that bike-produced margarita or pina colada certain team members have been imagining out of the realm of imagination...

Hmmm... Door to door smoothies, with a bike-mounted blender and panniers full of fresh fruit. Wouldn't that be an interesting fund-raiser?