Ride On!

For 15 years, an innovative fundraiser, Ride 2 Rosemary, has helped raise funds for the battle against cancer.

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It’s the kind of story that books and films are based on, one full of strife and hardship yet blooming with ever-persevering hope, and it’s also one that is unfortunately as common as folktale. Many people have struggled under the weight of cancer, whether themselves or a loved one. Within that shared experience, though, is a reminder that no one is alone, and the Ride 2 Rosemary team of the West Cancer Foundation is evidence of that.

This year marks the 15th anniversary since Chuck Bolton, pushing through a dark and challenging period of his life, reclaimed his own freedom and power when he rode his bike from Memphis to Rosemary Beach, Florida, where he and his wife owned a home. Today, Bolton insists on not being credited as the sole founder and prefers to share the limelight with the group of men who supported his decision.

“When you get through with this ride, if you’re not a healthier person, a healthier partner, a healthier father, employee, employer, and friend — then we’re missing the mark.”

— Chuck Bolton

Encouraged by two friends, Keith Merriman and Todd Tillmanns, and joined by seven others, that impromptu journey in 2011 steadily grew into an annual movement of more than 70 cyclists riding 525 miles. Their goal: to raise funds for the West Cancer Foundation after the men grappled with the loss of friends and relatives by cancer in their own lives. The proceeds go towards free screenings, wigs, transportation, and counseling for patients, and the event has earned more than $2.5 million in a little over a decade. This year, their aim was to reach $250,000 and anyone was able to donate at their website.

Beginning the weekend of October 4th this year, the event lasted five days with stops along the route in the towns of Tupelo, Mississippi, and Andalusia, Alabama. The journey would be daunting if it weren't for the incredible community that binds not only these cyclists together but also the people they encounter on their ride. Coming from all walks of life and experiences and navigating their own paths, the riders are quick to push each other forward when the journey becomes a bit too much physically, to offer condolences in hard times, and simply be there for one another.

The riders are also backed by the generosity of everyone from hotel owners to locals such as the Alabama woman known to the riders as “Ms. Debbie.” An avid follower of their mission, she brings them pie whenever they stop near Tuscaloosa and prays for them throughout these tougher phases of life. For Chuck Bolton, it’s exactly these “connections and the people that [they] meet during the ride” that matter most.

At the end of it all, the men encounter celebratory banners and the cheering, smiling faces of family and Rosemary Beach citizens as they ride up to the ocean, greeted by children and partners alike. “There’s not a rider that has a dry eye,” Bolton says of that final stretch. “It is an incredible feat.”

The time after the ride may be spent in different ways. Some of the men immediately have to return home their own way, but many stay at Rosemary Beach for a few days of family fun and relaxation — an almost fairytale ending to such an intense journey that can be truly life-changing. “When you get through with this ride,” says Bolton, “if you’re not a healthier person, a healthier partner, a healthier father, employee, employer, and friend — then we’re missing the mark.”

The West Cancer Foundation also has a plethora of opportunities for supporting, donating, or volunteering throughout the year in their continuous efforts to raise awareness, such as West Fight On and the sister fundraiser She to Sea. To learn more in the ongoing fight to beat cancer, visit their websites too.

“We are so honored to be part of this incredible event and to know these amazing men who commit such time, energy, and passion to help people in their cancer journey,” says Leighanne Soden, president of the West Cancer Foundation. “This isn’t just a five-day, grueling bike ride. They have to train for much of the year and give up time with their families in order to help others. Their sacrifice and dedication — not to mention the unwavering bond and brotherhood they share — is truly inspirational. It’s a joy to celebrate 15 years with them and to honor the thousands of cancer patients whose lives they’ve improved.”