If you'd like to honor someone...

who has survived cancer, or honor the memory of someone who was less fortunate, please let us know the correct spelling of their name, and any pertinent information you'd like us to have when you make your donation (or at any time, really, even if you choose not to donate for any reason).

One thing that has become apparent during our previous fundraising efforts is that everyone knows a survivor or a victim. It's a powerful bond that we all share, which is usually why people are drawn to events like these, or feel compelled to work for a cause. It's part of our human nature to look for those ties that bind us together. We've heard so many names from so many people that it is difficult to keep track, and I fear over looking someone unless I have it recorded somewhere - and it's just too inappropriate to interrupt a private conversation with "hey - wait a second while I write this name down."

It's tricky to know whether or not you, as a friend, relative, neighbor or coworker wishes for us to acknowledge the names you've mentioned to us. I come from a very private family, and even within my own family, I'm not quite sure how to approach the subject. I've come to the conclusion that my own joy and sorrow is mine to do with as I like, and if I want to honor someone, I will.

So this year, I'm thinking we'll have a list posted on the blog, perhaps of just first names of those who wish to retain some privacy, of those whose honor we ride.

In addition, we might as well decorate our jersey's, in order to become something of a moving 'wall of honor' - if we write the names of those whom you wish to remember or honor on a ribbon, and then safety pin the ribbon to the back of our jersey's, then these very people can, in a way, ride along with us, and flutter in the wind. If you'd like, you could even designate their (or your) favorite color.

If anyone has any additional ideas, please let me know. I'm all ears, and open to new ideas. It's possible that we could incorporate photographs, although that becomes a real estate issue on the Jerseys - however, I would be more than happy to start a wall of honor here, and include a photograph if you'd like.

Let me just say this: the reason for honoring our survivors and remembering our lost loved ones is NOT to guilt people into donating money, but a way for us all to remember all the love and joy these people have shared with us, and to celebrate their lives. These ties that bind us are strong and many, even though most likely we never thought we'd all have this disease in common.

During the PMC, there are a great many of these types of displays. When you are on the bike, legs screaming, and struggling up a huge hill, all the pain is suddenly dissapated when you look at the back of the jersey in front of you and see on that total stranger the names of yet other total strangers, and realize that there are SO many people that we are riding for who have suffered much more than we ever will on a bike. Even if it's a 100-mile day. Or two of those days back to back. This incentive is one of the best feelings created by the PMC - there is a huge team of strangers who band together each somewhere to try and make a difference for people they don't even know - and those we are helping likely don't even know yet that will need our help. But someday, the survival rate if cancer will be so greatly improved that us strangers will have to find something else to do with our summer.

Until then, we ride. And ask for lots of help.