3 for the road - 300 miles toward a cure with the 2003 MS TRAM (T he Ride Across Minnesota)

Greetings: Sorry for the e-mail approach but I would like to ask for your help for a very special cause - The Ride Across Minnesota for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. It has been over 21 years since my wife was first diagnosed with MS. Every case is different and we have been lucky - the disease continues it slow relentless attack but so far the progress has been slow. Daily medication helps combat the fatigue but the disease, and it's effects, is always there. Each year I pedal the 300+ miles across Minnesota to raise money for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis. The money goes to programs to help education and services to people with MS, to help them live with MS, stay as healthy as possible and to maintain their independence throughout the course of their disease. This is a fight in which I chose to be personally involved and each year it becomes more important that we find the cure. This is my 13th ride across Minnesota and my 16th year riding for MS, in search of a cure. I am honored again this year to be accompanied by two young heroes in this fight - this will be the 4th year of riding for Eric (13) and the 7th year for Andrew (15). This years ride starts in Ortonville, stops in Montevideo, Redwood Falls, Hutchinson, St. Peter, and finishes in Faribault. Lots of hills, beautiful scenery, and more hills as we wind our way across the state riding in search for the cure. This summer, as a family, we will go over the 10000 mile mark logged toward finding a cure. Every mile I ride, every mile my sons ride, we get a little closer to a cure. Every and every mile we ride we hope this is the mile that earns the dollar that finds the cure. A cure for Diane and for all the other patients with MS. We ride for them and we ride for you. Every mile we ride we thank all our generous sponsors that help us to reach that goal. I also have MS Prism ribbons - not everybody is the same and because multiple sclerosis affects each individual in so many different ways, the Minnesota Chapter has adopted the "Prism Ribbon" to represent multiple sclerosis. This ribbon changes colors with movement, light or position. The changing colors of the ribbon signify that multiple sclerosis is an ever changing and unpredictable disease seen in different lights and different ways but is ever constant. The changing colors also indicate the ever-changing forward movement the Minnesota Chapter makes to meet the needs of people with MS. Our goal this year is to again raise $3000. Any size pledge helps, and you can sponsor any of us or all of us. Please feel free to post this message, or forward it to your co-workers. Thanks again for your support. Jonathan Crist Cristj(a)bsci.com <mailto:Cristj@bsci.com> (763) 494-2745