FUNdrai$er Friday$ Sept 8: Spin for Circle of Care, Hike for Make-A-Wish

JoyRide Spins and Fundraises for Circle of Care

JoyRide Cycling + Fitness Studio is hosting a fundraising event this Sunday, Sept. 10, to raise money to support Circle of Care. In addition to a ride in the JoyRide Wilton studio, there will also be rides in their Darien and Westport studios as well.

Circle of Care, a Wilton-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families affected by pediatric cancer in Connecticut, provides practical, emotional and financial assistance to Connecticut families, through programs and services that meet the unique and challenging needs of pediatric cancer treatment.

All three rides will be held simultaneously on Sunday at 11 a.m.. The Wilton ride will be led by Wilton resident and instructor Anne Stauff; the Westport ride will be led by JoyRide co-founder/co-owner Rhodie Lorenz; and the Darien ride will be led by instructor Dina Fay. These rides are kickoff events for Circle of Care’s 5K fundraising run on Oct. 8 in Wilton.

All donations will enable Circle of Care to develop and support their Day of Diagnosis care package program. The care packages, called a “Bag of Love,” include practical items, like phone chargers, journals, thermometers, toiletries, a handmade warm blanket, items to keep the kids occupied in the hospital, and a resource directory.

“Circle of Care supports local families who are trying to navigate the emotional, logistical and financial issues that surround caring for their child’s medical needs,” said Lorenz. “Consistent with our JoyRide philosophy, when faced with challenges, it is your community that stands by you to lift you up. We want to be able to help families struggling with a diagnosis and know they are not alone.”

Circle of Care’s founder and board president is Wilton resident Liz Salguero. She says the fundraisers help the organization fulfill a much needed mission.

“When your child is diagnosed with a critical medical condition, you feel alone, isolated, scared and helpless,” she says. “Circle of Care provides instant support by helping families connect and find resources.”

To reserve a bike in one of these inspiring fundraising rides, please click the studio below. The suggested minimum donation is $40 per rider. Advanced sign-up is recommended because classes fill quickly.

JoyWestport
JoyWilton
JoyDarien

To make a donation directly to the organization, visit the Circle of Care website.

When JoyRide co-founders and Westport residents Amy Hochhauser and Rhodie Lorenz founded their first boutique indoor cycling studio nearly seven years ago, giving back and helping the community was a central component of their ethos. They have witnessed, first-hand, how fitness can transform people’s lives, whether it be improving their health, becoming stronger physically and emotionally or overcoming challenges on and off the bike. As they opened four additional studios around Connecticut, the joy grew: JoyRide has not only become a premier fitness destination in Westport, Darien, Wilton and Ridgefield, but it has also become a significant, entrenched part of the community, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes and organizations that are close to riders’ hearts.

JoyRide Wilton is located at 3 Godfrey Pl.; JoyRide Westport is located at 1200 Post Rd. East (behind Crate & Barrel) in Westport; and JoyRide Darien is located at 25 Old Kings Highway North in Darien (at the Goodwives Shopping Center).

“Big Man” Bob Wright Hiking 26.2 Miles in One Day for Make-A-Wish

Wilton dad Bob Wright is walking the walk, big time. On Sept. 15, he’ll be taking part in the Trailblazer Challenge, a 26.2 mile Bear Mountain hike to raise money for Make-A-Wish. He’s participating on a team honoring the memory of a little girl from Monroe, CT, Ciara O’Driscoll, who recently passed away from complications from Dravet Syndrome–a life-threatening seizure disorder his own 7-year-old daughter, Ella, lives with.

Wright has pledged to raise $2,500 to go towards Make-A-Wish, and is hoping that he can get additional support from the Wilton community. He has set up a donation page, titled “Big Man Hikes 26.2 Miles,” where pledges can be made–anyone who goes to an individual hiker’s page has the option to also donate to Ciara’s Light, a foundation started by Ciara’s mother that funds scholarships and events that support kids with special needs.

“My daughter has Dravet Syndrome and I know personally how every day is a challenge for those affected by the disease,” he writes on the donation page. “The mission of helping those affected by rare, life threatening disorders is an important one that I hope you will you choose to support. Any amount you give could make a significant impact in the life of someone that has to work harder to live their every day life. Something many of us take for granted.”

To support Wright and his efforts visit his donation page.