Evesham will again be part of this year’s Bike MS: City to Shore Ride on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28 and 29.
The annual two-day excursion is the largest fundraiser for the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which supports local individuals diagnosed with the condition and funds MS research around the world.
According to the society, multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable and potentially disabling disease that affects the central nervous system by disrupting the flow of information within the brain and from the brain to the body. Symptoms vary unpredictably from person to person and can include clinical pain; paralysis; fatigue; vision problems; muscle weakness; and difficulty walking, among others.
Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with the condition, according to the society.
“It’s a very unpredictable disease of the central nervous system,” explained Don Elsas, a volunteer with the society who spoke about the City to Shore Ride at this month’s Evesham council meeting. ‘It can be one thing one day, one thing another day, and it affects people very differently.”
Last year’s ride raised $4.3 million with the help of 4,500 cyclists and about 1,000 volunteers. Elsas noted that the 2024 goal for the Delaware Valley chapter is $4.5 million. He explained details of the event and cited township police for always keeping bike riders safe and guiding them quickly through Evesham.
“There will be about 4,000 riders this year,” he noted. “We will start in Cherry Hill and get through Evesham Township pretty quickly on Saturday morning. The (Evesham) police department has been wonderful in the past, and I’m sure they’ll continue to be so as far as getting us quickly along the route.”
Elsas has presented a token of appreciation to the township over the years for its support of the fundraiser.
“Thank you in advance for your cooperation and patience in helping us fulfill our mission to get to a world free of MS,” he said.
To learn more about this year’s Bike MS: City to Shore ride, visit www.nationalmssociety.org
