Sixth Annual Ride for Rosita, Jan. 23

The Red Hawks will be participating in the sixth annual Super Spin Saturday: Ride for Rosita Saturday, Jan. 23 at Theisen Middle School, 525 E. Pioneer Rd., Fond du Lac, Wis. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

Participants from beginners to pros are welcome to spin for one hour or up to four hours. A limited number of stationary spin bikes will be available, however, participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes and stationary trainer or rollers. A limited number of Kinetic trainers will be available for use with your own bike.

Every participant will get a two-week membership at the Fond du Lac YMCA. All children six and older will have their name entered to win a Wii. All adult participants can enter their name to win a $500 shopping spree at Attitude Sports. The adult bringing in the highest dollar amount of pledges will be awarded a Festina watch.

New this year will be a competition between schools to bring in pledges. The top school will win a Fond du Lac YMCA party.

Individuals can also earn a variety of prizes based on the amount of money raised.

United Hearts for Health volunteers will once again serve their very tasty homemade energy bars (worth the cost of admission alone!).

I will be leading an hour of spinning beginning at noon. In addition to your's truly, hourly sections will be led by endurance coach and professional triathlete Heather Haviland, a six-time Ironman finisher; Oliver Clements, a doctor from Fond du Lac who will offer trivia and prizes; and local triathlete Tim Laird.

Members of the Red Hawks cycling team will be competing with other event participants in a point-to-point Computrainer simulated race.

Super Spin Saturday is a fund-raising event to support United Hearts for Health (UHH) and its health care efforts in Rosita, Nicaragua. The first group of Fond du Lac medical missionaries traveled to Rosita in 2003. The health care system they found was in a dire crisis. The hospital infrastructure was rotting away, the laboratory facilities were inadequate for diagnosis, dental equipment was inadequate and the infant and maternal mortality rates were — and remain — among the highest in the world.

Since 2003, a new hospital has been built and a new well drilled to provide potable water to the hospital and its patients. Fond du Lac health care providers have treated more than 600 patients in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, that number rose to more than 1,200 in Rosita and at two nearby satellite locations. Every year the cost of medicine and supplies goes up, and UHH relies heavily on donors to help us purchase the type and amount of medicine and supplies needed to treat patients effectively. The cost of medication alone was over $10,000 in 2009.

Participants are required to pay $5 for each hour they ride and are encouraged to raise additional money through pledges. All checks should be made payable to “United Hearts for Health/Holy Family.”

Download the registration form.

For more information, visit the United Hearts for Health Web site or call 920-921-6021.

By the way, you may notice that the poster and registration forms both list Ripon as the "Midwest's Premiere Collegiate Cycling Program." Rest assured, we don't have inflated egos or a false sense of grandeur. I'm not sure who gave us that billing. We're not there yet, but rest assured we do aspire to such greatness.

Please come out and join us Jan. 23 for a good time and a great cause.