The Kelly Brush Foundation will be holding its ninth annual Kelly Brush Century Ride, powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, September 6 in Middlebury, Vt. The ride is designed to support the foundation’s mission to overcome the challenges of paralysis through the love of sport and improve ski racing safety. A news release issued by the foundation notes that last year’s ride saw more than 750 riders.
The release also states that in the 9 years since the ride’s start, participants have raised nearly $1.5 million. The support has allowed the foundation to purchase nearly 100 pieces of adaptive athletic gear for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and more than 400 miles of safety netting for ski racing and training courses, improving safety and preventing injury.
Registration for the ride is at www.kellybrushfoundation.org
Zeke Davisson, Kelly Brush Foundation president, credits the annual dedication and support from the riders, volunteers, and sponsors with allowing the foundation to improve the quality of life for SCI patients and raising the bar for ski racing safety.
“While the foundation has accomplished a tremendous amount in just under a decade, there is still so much more to do. Our main fundraising event, the Kelly Brush Ride, is key to meeting our mission,” Davisson adds.
In the release, the foundation highlights its multifaceted mission, which includes improving the quality of life of SCI patients by purchasing adaptive athletic equipment for individuals with financial limitations, advocating improved ski racing safety, and supporting research intended to treat and cure paralysis resulting from traumatic SCI.
Ride participants, who are comprised by individual riders and teams of riders, compete to raise the most money with prizes for reaching fundraising milestones.
The Middlebury College Ski Team facilitated the ride in an effort to buy team member Kelly Brush Davisson, who was paralyzed following a ski racing crash, an adaptive mono-ski. Brush and her family later founded the foundation that bears her name and opened the ride to the public.
Source: Kelly Brush Foundation