Green Mountain Motorcycle Ride
On August 24, 2008, 46 bikers with 13 passengers took to the road traveling over 8510 miles through the scenic mountains and countryside of New Hampshire, raising more than $34,000 to benefit Norris Cotton Cancer Center. In its sixth year, the ride shot past its goal by more than $9,000.
Held every year on the last Sunday in August, the weather was ideal for this 2008 ride. The route headed south from the Cancer Center through Newport, Marlow, and Peterborough, then turned north through Milford, Henniker, Bradford, Newbury, and Enfield. The ride is fully supported, providing riders with a light breakfast, lunch along the route and festive barbeque celebration at the end with speakers, door-prizes and a live band. The event was made possible with the help of 25 volunteers and 13 corporate sponsors including this year's newest and largest sponsor, the Granite State Harley-Davidson. Over the past six years, the 200-mile motorcycle ride has raised nearly $90,000, all of which goes to Norris Cotton's world-class cancer research and patient services programs.
John Brasseur of Cornish, NH founded the ride with his brother in honor of his aunt, cancer survivor Diane Yunggebauer of Hartland, VT. He sees the ride as both a way to do something he enjoys while raising money for cancer research and patient services at a nationally-recognized, top-rated cancer center.
Brasseaur raised $3,600 for his team, Thermal Dynamics, contributing to his team's top fundraising sum of $7,000. Team Hypertherm, lead by ride co-chair Tim McCarville, of Orange, NH, was a close second raising more than $6,000. "I'm involved with this ride because something good can come from it," says McCarville. "While they can't tell when we will have a cure for cancer, if we don't do something now, we never will."
Top individual fundraisers in the event, Rich Perry and Curtis Hamilton, each raised more than $6,000. "I ride to support the best cancer care possible," said Rich Perry of Lowell, Mass. "I ride for the unfailing dedication of the nurses. I ride because Norris Cotton Cancer Center saved my daughter." His daughter, Heather, was treated at Norris Cotton Cancer Center in Lebanon and Manchester, NH and attended the ride in great spirits with her whole family in tow.
A big thank you goes out to all those who participated and volunteered to make this event happen!
