For more information about ALS Association’s Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter and the 2014 Ride to Defeat ALS, visit the chapter website: webor.alsa.org. Ride to Defeat ALS donations to Team LimeBerry-VBC can be made through the website.
Two dozen Clark County cyclists outfitted in lime green and pink jerseys will ride in support of the Battle Ground man whose name is stitched on their right shoulders: Brian Epp.
Some of the riders only met Epp recently, others have known the 44-year-old since childhood. But all of them will partake in the 2014 Ride to Defeat ALS, a one-day cycling fundraiser in Mt. Angel, Ore., on Saturday.
Team LimeBerry-VBC — a shout-out to the team’s main sponsor, LimeBerry Frozen Yogurt in Battle Ground, and the Vancouver Bicycle Club, to which many of the riders belong — has raised nearly $16,000 for the ALS Association. The money supports local care services provided through the ALS Association Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter, as well as international research.
Epp was diagnosed with ALS — better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — in 2010. Epp’s friend Devin Bowen organized the Ride to Defeat ALS team to support Epp.
“Brian’s my age. He’s 44,” Bowen said. “That could be me in his wheelchair and him on my bicycle.
“It’s the least I can do to pitch in against the thing that’s taking his life slowly.”
ALS is a type of motor-neuron disease that causes nerve cells to gradually break down and die, according to Mayo Clinic.
The disease often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg or sometimes with slurring of speech. Eventually, ALS affects a person’s ability to control the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe, according to Mayo Clinic.
ALS can’t be cured and eventually leads to death.
“You can’t pretend it’s not there,” Bowen said. “Nobody gets better from ALS.”
Bowen first raised money for the ALS Association in September 2012. Epp invited Bowen to participate in the annual Walk to Defeat ALS but Bowen had already signed up for a bike ride in Hood River taking place the same day.
Bowen decided to ride in the race but asked friends and family to sponsor him with donations for the association. In just a few days, he raised $1,000.
After his informal fundraiser, Bowen learned about the Ride to Defeat ALS. He signed up for the 2013 event and pulled together a team of eight riders. They participated in the ride and joined the post-race festivities, which included food, music, speeches and chats with people living with ALS.
“It went great,” Bowen said. “At the end of it, we all said we have to do it again next year.”
So this year, Bowen went to work recruiting more team members, lining up sponsors to outfit the riders and setting up an official fundraising event, which took place at LimeBerry Frozen Yogurt last week.
The team has swelled to 25 people and they’ve already surpassed their $15,000 fundraising goal — a feat that makes them the No. 1 fundraising team participating in the Saturday event.
And before he has even begun his 62-mile ride, Bowen has his sights on next year. He hopes to increase the team’s membership even more and has already lined up a jersey sponsor.
Epp has been blown away by Bowen’s efforts and the team’s support.
“It’s so great,” Epp said, using a machine that recites words he types. “I haven’t had the energy to put anything together, and last year they had a small group that did it and then they decided to go all out this year.”
“It’s a lot of fun to be part of this,” he added.
Loren Joner, 42, has been friends with Epp since elementary school. As kids, Epp and Joner used to ride bikes together. As adolescents, they went on cycling trips with their church youth group, Joner said.
“It was an activity we did a lot as kids,” he said.
Pairing the activity he and Epp enjoyed so much together with fundraising for a disease that will ultimately claim Epp’s life seemed natural, said Joner, who also participated in last year’s ride.
While ALS is a “dark disease,” the ride is a celebration, Joner said. A celebration of Epp and his life.
“It’s just really neat to see the camaraderie and see people come together to fight such a horrible disease,” Joner said.
