HOT SPRINGS -- Cycling enthusiasts are peddling for a cause this week as they raise money and awareness for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The two-day Bike MS: Rockin' Hot Ride will take place Saturday and Sunday between Little Rock and Hot Springs Village.
Britany Simmons, National Multiple Sclerosis Society development manager for the event, said cyclists will leave from Little Rock on the 120-mile ride Saturday and travel 63 miles to Woodlands Auditorium in Hot Springs Village. They will then stay the night and ride back to Little Rock on Sunday.
Each rider will raise a minimum of $300 for the society to be used for programs, services and research incentives, she said. The goal is to raise $150,000. Simmons said more than 260 participants had registered for the event, surpassing the society's goal of 200.
Individuals and teams can still register for the ride through Friday, she said. There is a registration fee of $50, along with the fundraising minimum. Participants must be at least 12 years old.
"This is by far the most cyclists we've had for an event in Arkansas. We're really excited," said Brian Winkler of Little Rock.
Winkler, who is riding in honor of his wife, Kerry, who was diagnosed in 2011, said the ride is important for a number of reasons.
In addition to the funds and awareness it raises, it also creates support for those who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and the caregivers and children of those who suffer, he said.
Winkler and his wife have a 14-year-old son and an 18-year-old daughter. He said his family is involved in the Arkansas chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
"Our particular focus with our family is to help families who have MS," Winkler said, noting the disease doesn't just affect the person who is diagnosed.
He said he and his family help other families find the "new normal."
Winkler, his son and others will participate in the ride as a team. As the team trains in the summer heat, he said it is encouraging to his wife to watch so many people putting their comforts aside to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The society has hosted numerous rides throughout the country for about 30 years, Simmons said. The Bike MS: Rockin' Hot Ride, is Arkansas' Bike MS ride, and is fairly new compared with others, she said.
Winkler said he has participated in the Rockin' Hot Ride every year since 2012.
Metro on 09/06/2016