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Unprecedented results for the 20th edition of the RONA MS Bike Tour!
$1,450,000 raised for multiple sclerosis
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Ribbon-cutting ceremony symbolizing the official departure
of the 20th edition
of the RONA MS Bike Tour
Left to right: Yves Savoie, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MSSC and President of the Ontario Division; Richard Lemire, MS Ambassador; André Lespérance, participant and recipient of the RONA MS Bike Tour champion fundraiser trophy; Louis Adam, Executive Director of the Quebec Division of the MSSC; Kalyna Roberge, Olympic short-track speed skater and member of the RONA “Growing with Our Athletes” program; and Guy Dumoulin, municipal councillor, city of Lévis. |
The 20th edition of the RONA MS Bike Tour, organized for the benefit of the Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, ended last weekend in a glow of unbelievable generosity. Together, the 1,580 cyclists raised $1,450,000, which will fund research and services for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their families. Participants got together in the Victoriaville area on August 22 and 23, and in the Lévis region on August 29 and 30.
Spokespeople for the 20th edition
The Quebec Division of the MS Society was again able to count on the support of Patricia Paquin, spokesperson for the RONA MS Bike Tour for the 10th year: “Multiple sclerosis is a cause that’s close to my heart because my older sister Caroline has the disease.” Louis Garneau, president and founder of Louis Garneau Sports inc., acted as patron of the 20th edition of the event in his role as honorary chair. Moved by the generosity of the participants and the courage of people with MS, Mr. Garneau delivered a message of hope and begged them never to give up.
Partners of the cause
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada would like to thank RONA, principal national sponsor of the 22 RONA MS Bike Tours in Canada, as well as all the volunteers who made such a huge contribution to the success of the event. Organized jointly with a team of experts from Vélo Québec ÉVÉNEMENTS, these 150-km bike tours were held over two days. Participants could also choose to take part in only the 75-km tour on Sunday.
Multiple sclerosis is the most widespread central nervous system disease affecting young adults in Canada. Although it is still incurable, eminent researchers agree that research has never made as much progress as during the last ten years. The question is no longer if we will find a cure for MS but when that will happen. For more information on multiple sclerosis or the RONA MS Bike Tour, call 1-800-268-7582 or visit www.mssociety.ca/qc.
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What is the RONA MS Bike Tour?
The RONA MS Bike Tour is a National fundraising event that exists since 1990. In 2009, the 20th edition of the RONA MS Bike Tour will be held. To celebrate
this event, the RONA MS Bike Tour held in the Quebec City region, which
brings together more than 250 people each year, will become a mobile Bike
Tour. This time it will be held in the Victoriaville region on August 22 and 23,
2009. The other RONA MS Bike Tour, which has more than 1,000 participants,
will take place in the Levis region on August 29 and 30, 2009.
For almost 20 years, participants in the MS Bike Tour have crisscrossed Quebec’s roads to have fun and to promote the cause of multiple sclerosis. Together, the 13,932 participants have raised more than $10,130,000 for the benefit of the Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
Share the road with us and help us achieve our objective of $1,300,000. We’ve come a long way since 1990, but we still need to keep pedalling to end SP!
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MS Ambassador
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“Life always puts challenges in our path. Some, like the RONA MS Bike Tour, are enjoyable and gratifying. But small challenges like this sometimes allow us to face huge challenges such as finding a cure for people who have MS, like me. Let’s get on our bikes to end MS with pedal power!”
Richard “Tower” Lemire
MS Ambassador |
2009 Pictures
To see all 2009 RONA MS Bike Tour pictures, click here : Victoriaville or Lévis.
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2009 Winners
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The Recruit of the Year trophy went to Gilles Dionne,
who raised $8,699.99.
He received his award from Stéphanie Saint-Pierre, a member of RONA’s Growing with Our Athletes program, and Jocelyne Cazin, master of ceremonies for the event.
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The Via Rail team received two trophies for the 2009 edition: Champion Recruiting Team (62 participants)
and Champion Fundraising Team ($59,612.69).
Denis Lemieux, leader of the Via Rail team,
with Stéphanie Saint-Pierre and Jocelyne Cazin.
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The trophy for the Champion Fundraising Team (Pro Rata Basis), with 4 to 19 members, was given to the PÉDALIERS DE L’AVENIR team. The 8 members raised an average of $4,795.16 each.
Lynda Archambault, leader of the PÉDALIERS DE L’AVENIR team,
with Stéphanie Saint-Pierre and Jocelyne Cazin.
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The trophy for the Champion Team (Pro Rata Basis), with 20 members or more, was awarded to the Collection team, each of whose 21 members raised an average of $1,592.35.
Paul Rochefort, leader of the Collection team,
with Stéphanie Saint-Pierre and Jocelyne Cazin
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The trophy for the Grand Champion Fundraiser was given to Jean-Luc Lemire, who raised $10,511.54.
Jean-Luc Lemire Paul Rochefort,
with Stéphanie Saint-Pierre and Jocelyne Cazin |
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The Recruit of the Year trophy went
to Fabien Bergeron, who raised $5 575.
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The trophy for the Champion Fundraising Team (Pro Rata Basis), with 4 to 19 members,
was given to the Esprit sportif team.
The members raised an average of $2 011, 41 each.
Christiane Thouin, leader of the Esprit sportif team,
with Louis Garneau.
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The trophy for the Champion Team (Pro Rata Basis), with 20 members or more, was awarded to the Lespérance team, each of whose members raised an average of $1 400, 44.
André Lespérance, leader of the
Lespérance team, with
Louis Garneau.
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The RONA Rail team received a trophy for the Champion Recruiting Team (205 participants)
Lucie Laflamme, leader of the RONA team,
with Sébastien Benoit.
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The Solutions partagées team received a tropy for the Champion Fundraising Team ($80 372,32).
Gabriel Gagnon, leader of the Solutions partagées
team, with Sébastien Benoit. |
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The trophy for the Grand Champion Fundraiser was given to Jean-Luc Lemire, who raised $29 566,86$.
André Lespérance, with
Sébastien Benoit. |
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Blitz Week: Winners!
During Blitz Week, between May 19 and May 26, the MS Society challenged the participants of the RONA MS Bike Tour. In exchange for a $500 donation, the MS Society handed out prizes that was very interesting.
All participants that raised $500 on line receive a $30 Archambault gift-card! Those people are :
| Isabelle Gendron |
$902.63 |
| Martin Cossette |
$780 |
| Jean-Daniel Breton |
$600 |
| Louise Paquin |
$585 |
| Robert Vogel |
$575 |
| Alexandra Racette |
$500 |
Robert Vogel was the first person to raise that amount. To underline his efficiency, he has received a panini-maker, courtesy of Hamilton Beach!
TeamMS Captain Week: February 2nd to 6th
The winner of the last TeamMS Captain Week is Gabriel Gagnon, captain of the Solutions Partagées team.
Congratulations! He won a $100 gift-card from Sports Experts.
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TeaMS Week: March 2nd to 6th
The winner of the last TeamMS Week is Maxime Provencher, member of the TeaMS Cap Santé and participant in the Victoriaville RONA MS Bike Tour.
Congratulations! He won a $100 gift-card from Centre du Rasoir.
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GearingDown
To take a look at the GearingDown of December 2008, the RONA MS Bike Tour Journal (PDF document).
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2009 Media Coverage
Take a look at the media coverage the 2009 RONA MS Bike Tour got.
(PDF format, available in French only.)
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For
more information, you can contact Vélo Québec ÉVÉNEMENTS
at 514-521-8356 or 1-800-567-8356.
