Click here to make your pledge today to the 2011 Ride for Mike to help Rebekah Grace Ellis!
Mission: The mission of Ride For Mike is to remember the life of Michael T. McCaskill by using the bicycle to raise funding and awareness for causes important to Mike, his family, and those who have fought or are fighting the battle for life.
Mike McCaskill: “Michael T.” passed away in the early morning hours of June 16, 2007. He had a 10-month battle with Brain Cancer. He was diagnosed in August of 2006, just 5 weeks after his baby girl was born.
Mike loved God with all of his heart and devoted his life to serving Him. He was the Youth Pastor at Catawba Christian Church in Raleigh, NC. He left behind his wife, Lora and his little girl, Grace.
Motivation: Jonathan Pait, author of LowCadence.com, was a friend of Mike’s as he attended seminary in Greenville, SC. Though several years older than Mike, they shared a common love for God and – well – NASCAR. At Mike’s passing, Jonathan felt the desire to remember Mike and set out to complete a ride in his honor each year he was able to do so.
2011 Project: The 2011 Ride for Mike helps with the expenses incurred by the Drew and Nancy Ellis family as they deal with ongoing medical needs for their daughter Rebekah Grace.
Rebekah Grace Ellis
She was born in 2009 with DiGeorge Syndrome. As a result of this genetic disorder, she has Truncus Arteriosus, which is a complex congenital heart defect (CHD). She had her first open heart surgery on July 7, 2009, and a complete repair on November 5, 2010.
The surgeon was unable to create a right pulmonary artery, so she has only one working lung. Because of this, her heart repair created high pressures in her heart. This has lead to many medical procedures in her short life. There will be many more to come.
Past Projects: Since 2007, Jonathan has completed a ride each year and has raised over $14,000 to battle cancer. While the battle against cancer is an important one, in 2010 the Ride For Mike focused on what Mike lived for… not what killed him. Over $22,000 was raised for the Michael T. McCaskill Scholarship Fund – a fund for needy student working their way through college for the purpose of serving as youth ministers.
Please consider giving in support of this project. If you knew Mike, give to his memory. If you know the McCaskills, give because of all you know they have given for so many. Perhaps you only know of this project through LowCadence.com. If so, give because it would mean a lot to me.
The Ride
The ride will be a 240 mile ride from Greenville, SC to Charleston, SC. What makes the ride unique is that it will all be accomplished in one day and will be the longest distance Jonathan has ever ridden. The date for the ride will be October 24, 2011. This will be a solo ride except for those cases where friends along the route come out to ride along with me. Jonathan’s wife, Annette, will follow as his “support crew.”
Little Rebekah Grace Ellis has spent much time at Greenville Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina. That is why this year’s route will cover the distance between the two hospitals. Maybe you can’t ride along, but you can help encourage me along the way by participating in the project.
