(Stillwater, Okla.) Susan Walker is pedaling a dream in 2012. This almost 70-year old is on a mission riding 2,000 miles in 37 days from April to May, 2012, from Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Bristol, RI, to raise money and awareness for hospice care, specifically for her local non-profit Judith Karman Hospice.
“One day this past August, I received a call from my local bike shop. Would I drive about 20 miles west of town to pick up a cyclist who had mechanical problems and deliver him to the bike shop? This rider was riding from California to North Carolina raising money for Make-a-Wish Foundation. It felt a little hollow when I told him about all the rides I’d cycled; all these miles for nothing more than the fun of it. I determined then and there to make my next ride into a fundraiser.” All money accumulated from the ride will be used by Judith Karman Hospice of Stillwater, OK, for nurse education.
Choosing hospice care and Stillwater, Oklahoma’s Judith Karman Hospice as her charity was heartfelt. “My parents died two months apart when I was just into my 20s. This was a very difficult time for me and my siblings. It wasn’t until my mother-in-law received care from the Judith Karman Hospice in 2006 that I understood what a wonderful, supportive, and vital role hospice plays in the final months or days of a loved one. If only there had been hospice care back in the early 60s when my parents died,” said Walker.
“I am dedicated to doing anything I can to help our local hospice so that other family members can experience hospice’s compassionate care. I would like to try to make the general public realize what goes on and what happens in the industry,” says cyclist Walker.
Walker is no newcomer to long-distance cycling. She has cycled the West Coast, Alaska, the East Coast, the length of the Danube River, the length of the Mississippi River three times, and crossed country on her bicycle four times. But, there are several things that make this ride different: Susan’s now 70, but still going strong. Also Susan’s riding for charity and will ride solo—all of her other rides have been with at least one other person. Last, Susan plotted the route herself, with the help of Google Maps, and she will rely on hospices and civic organizations along the route to provide speaking venues and accommodations where possible.
People and companies are encouraged to donate per mile or a flat amount to the cause. All donations are tax deductible due to the non-profit status of Judith Karman Hospice.
The Judith Karman Hospice website, www.judithkarmanhospice.org, includes how to donate for the ride, hospice information, and more information about the ride.
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