Friends,
The MS Bike Ride â We made the best of the weather this past weekend and enjoyed the MS Bike ride with so many friends. After riding it for 17 or 18 consecutive years, it feels like we all are family. It makes me feel good to see so many good people coming together to ride and raise money for the National MS Society who works so hard for all of us living with MS. Our people at the Wisconsin Chapter of the National MS Society really do work hard for us. It was really nice to see people from our neighboring states of the National MS Society join us this weekend as well.
Saturdayâs ride was really hot. I was planning on riding the 100 mile route on Saturday but it was so hot, the National MS Society felt it was safer to not ride the 100 mile route and limit it to the 50 and 75 mile route. I personally ended up riding 78 miles and was plenty dehydrated after that. I was happy with 78 miles in that heat.
The volunteers were again AMAZING this year. To all who volunteered at any capacityâŚTHANK YOU! This event wouldnât be possible if it wasnât for all our amazing volunteers. It warms my heart when I see so many good people come out in the extreme heat to serve all of us riding. You all are awesome!
Saturday eveningâs program was really nice. The National MS Society did a really nice job of recognizing some great achievements and people all the way from the youngest rider, rookie riders, riders with MS, oldest rider (Our great friend and volunteer at our gym â Pete who is 80) and all the riders in between. I was in tears many times throughout the program because my heart was touched so deeply.
They did a really nice job of telling Wendyâs story of living with MS all these years and making such nice progress again recently. I always love it when people can get out of their wheelchair and start walking again. I can relate. Wendy is amazing and inspiring many peopleâŚespecially me. Thanks for sharing your story Wendy!
We have some amazing people doing some outstanding fundraising for all of us living with MS. Some of them were recognized proudly Saturday evening as well. A huge thank you goes out to all who donated to the National MS Society supporting us riders again this yearâŚTHANK YOU! Thank you also to everyone who rode on the ride and did fundraising for the event. So far, our Peppy Pedalerâs team has raised $57,540.00 for this event this year. Thatâs amazing! Much thanks goes to all who donated and did fundraising. Well done and THANK YOU!
Sundayâs ride was a little short. There were storms rolling through when the decision needed to be made of whether we ride or to cancel it. The decision was made to cancel the ride for the safety of all the riders, volunteers and people at the Natioanl MS Society. I know this was a tough call.
Saturdayâs ride in the extreme heat left me really dehydrated. My body needed to rest and get rehydrated on Sunday. Iâm confident this was the case for many riders. Iâm a believer that everything happens for a reason. Who knows how many hospital visits were avoided by cancelling the ride for Sunday. I do feel badly for the people who couldnât ride on Saturday and were planning to ride on Sunday though. Letâs look forward to next year.
Volunteers are appreciated at our gym
Thank you to all the volunteers who are stepping up while weâre a little light on volunteers this summer. I really appreciate it and I know all our friends with MS appreciate it as well. Thanks also to all our friends with MS who are helping each other. Itâs a beautiful thing to see this happening. I wish the rest of the world would be more like the people that come to our gym. The world would certainly be a much better place.
Letâs get together!
Weâll be getting together again from 9:00am â noon on Wednesday and Friday mornings at the gym. I hope youâll join us!
Wisconsin Metal Parts â Westmound Building
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186
Prayer Group Weâll be having our prayer group Wednesday @ 11:00am.
I just love the way we share, pray and laugh together while we witness prayers being answered weekly. Itâs truly amazing!
Thanks goes to God and to everyone that joins us. Letâs get together to share, listen, talk, give thanks and pray however God leads us.
MS Just Keep Caring â Our Caregivers support group will be the first and third Friday of each month from 10:00 â 10:30am. The next one will be Friday, August 19th . If youâre a caregiver of someone you love with MS, please join us and share your experience of caring for your loved one. This has been very helpful for many. Thanks to all who participate!
Friday Morning Bike Rides
Letâs continue to ride as long as itâs not raining. If youâre considering riding the MS Bike ride next year, now is the time to start riding with us.
Weâll be meeting Friday mornings at 7:00am at Nettesheim Park in Pewaukee. Itâs on the SE corner of Hwy SS and Oak Street. The GPS address is:  N26W27495 Prospect Ave, Pewaukee, WI 53072. Come a little early so you can get your bike out of your car and be ready to ride as close to 7:00 as possible. Weâll ride until about 8:45. Letâs ride and have some fun!
For those of you who wish you could join us but canât; please know we have you in our hearts on these rides. Weâre riding with you and for you. I hope you too can join us someday. We really need to get this MS thing figured out. Letâs keep working on it together.
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COVID   There seems to be some COVID going around again lately. Weâve all been dealing with this long enough and are very well educated on it by now. Letâs make good choices and be safe.
Please stay home if you have any symptoms or know youâve been exposed to someone with the virus. Please donât come until your symptoms go away. Letâs also give each other some space when talking to one another and continue wiping the machines down before and after you use them with disinfectant. AgainâŚletâs be socially responsible and stay safe!
Our Facebook page is private. That means youâll need to join if you want access to all our fun and progress. Lots of people are doing more and more and sharing of their journey on Facebook. Feel free to join and share your experience and comments. Weâre now up to 238 membersâŚawesome!   https://www.facebook.com/groups/2639832389489709
Thai Massage with Ricky Heldt Ricky will be here Wednesday and Friday again this week doing Thai Massage. Ricky says he is comfortable to work with you even if youâre not wearing a mask. Ricky will continue to wear one to protect you.
Many continue making great progress with chronic pain relief, range of motion, walking better and a new sense of hope when Ricky works with them. Please keep in mind that consistency is key. Not only with RickyâŚwith exercise too. We need consistency to realize the benefits long term. We want you to have long term relief.
Ricky has a sign up sheet based on first come first serve. You can pick the time slot that works for you. I highly encourage you to take advantage of Rickyâs Thai Massages each day and sign up for your time slot as soon as you get there.
Reiki with Linda Linda will be here on Fridays doing Reiki. Many people say Lindaâs Reiki work is âmagicalâ. Weâre thankful for Linda offering her gifts and talents to us. Feel free to let Linda know youâd like to do Reiki with her. She also has a sign up sheet.
Inspirational Humor with Adam WollertÂ
Weâll be having our inspirational humor zoom call with Adam again next Tuesday. Adam is a gift to all of us.
Please join us if you can.
Tuesdays @ 1:30PM
Hereâs the link to join usâŚI hope you do!
Join Zoom Meeting with this link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9431389152?pwd=bWlYbFNaazVnM1M1cWxWMitlODdXUT09
Meeting ID: 943 138 9152
Passcode: 3qP2hu
Phone:Â Â 1-312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 943 138 9152
Letâs reach out
I encourage you to share a smile and encouragement with someone. Perhaps you could call someone that you havenât talked with for a while just to say hi and see how theyâre doing. We all could use a little extra love and encouragement.
MS is tough. Letâs have faith, remain calm, be flexible, help each other and learn as much as we can about the challenges of each day as we make good choices.
Letâs keep moving and smiling
In God We TrustâŚweâre in good hands
Dan
P.S. Here are a few fun pics from this weekendâs MS bike ride. We had lots of fun!
All these people have MS and rode the ride. I hope even more people with MS ride together going forward.
We have an amazing group of people on our Peppy Pedalerâs Team
We had awesome cheerleaders sending us off!
Wendy and Nino came across the finish line strong and happy
Our team tent was very fun and spirited
Amazing friendships are built on these rides
Many people donât realize how many loving people are doing so much for all of us living with MS. The tent on Saturday night was filled with great people who rode for all of us and raised a bunch of money for the National MS Society so we can all continue to make progress. Again, thanks to all who rode, donated, volunteered and organized this great event!
Itâs always a blessing when a Father and Son can ride together on this ride. Tony agrees
Wendyâs story is very inspirational. Stories like Wendyâs need to be shared with more people with MS. Wendy gives so many people hopeâŚ
It was an awesome event. Thanks again to all who made this possible!