Over 250 bike riders from Wayland and nearby communities participated in the Ride to Defeat ALS Massachusetts on September 20. The Longfellow Club in Wayland has hosted the ride for over 20 years. This year’s event generated almost $230,000 to benefit ALS research and to provide support services to individuals suffering from this debilitating disease.
Riders chose from three different bike routes – 20, 40, or 62 miles – that covered several well-marked routes in and around Wayland, including parts of the new Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Acton. Upon returning to the starting point at the Longfellow Club, riders were treated to food, drink and live music. When all riders completed their routes, Channel 5 Boston meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon recorded a short group video, which was shown on the Eye Opener on Channel 5 the following Monday morning.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle weakness and loss of control. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig played with the New York Yankees for 17 years and was known as “The Iron Horse” due to his ability to play baseball despite suffering from a variety of injuries. Before his diagnosis, he noticed several symptoms while playing, including a loss of strength, slipping, falling and loss of coordination. He became the spokesman for this disease upon his retirement in 1939.
— Steve Garone,Wayland Post Contributor
