Bonnie Masland & Dave Fish's Bike Trip to Support Sarnelli House Children's Orphanage in Northeast Thailand
...things always seem to happen...flats, thunder and lighting...last year, tornado warnings stopped the ride!
July 12, 2009
Hi, Harvard Tennis family members: Today, I'm not writing to regale you with stories of Harvard Men's tennis exploits. Instead, this is my annual plea for your support for Ceboride, a small charity bicycle ride in Wisconsin (bvery long - 100+ hilly miles!) that my wife Bonnie and I have bicycled for in the past four years. All donations go directly to benefit children who have tested positive for HIV/AIDS in an orphanage in Thailand. We have a close family connection to Fr. Mike Shea, the priest who started the orphanage over 30 years ago.
Many of you have supported our trip in the past. A resounding thanks!
This past year has been tough for many of us, ourselves included - most of us have seen lots of hard financial planning for the future go down the drain. But others of course have suffered far more, so we ask for your support for this bike ride in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on July 18th. We've been training through the June rain, running steps in Harvard Stadium and doing interval work on our bikes on the weekends. We're sleeping well!
Since this year's route has a lot of hills, we've been training on the Heartbreak Hills of the Boston Marathon route. With our busy tennis camp summer, we've done only about half the course so far in a day. Twice that seems like a tall order. We're counting on your moral support to get us through the second half!
To refresh your memories and to explain to new folks who don't know very much about Sarnelli House and why a family and a few friends would support this effort, here is some history. Michael Masland's wife, Katie's uncle, Fr. Michael Shea, after working since 1966 in Thailand and Laos, opened Sarnelli House in 1999 for abandoned and orphaned kids testing positive for HIV/AIDS (see Sarnelliorphanage.org). In order to support the efforts of Katie's uncle, her family organized the 125 mile bike ride from Madison to Fond Du Lac, raising money for the antiretroviral AIDS medication and other supplies for this orphanage by donations. Two years ago, we went out and biked with Katie's family and friends. And at the end of 125 miles in heat and head winds, we met Fr. Mike and the whole town of Fond du Lac cheering us on as we finally ended our ride (see Ceboride.org). It put faces on the efforts this family has made for these children. It was grueling, but we had so much fun that we committed to doing it again in Massachusetts last year, hauling ourselves around Newton, Concord, Harvard, and Stow, Massachusetts and back, for the same distance. This year, we are riding with the gang again in Wisconsin. We are hoping that you might support us by donating for our bike ride. This money will go directly to Fr. Mike and the children of the orphanage. Everybody works as a volunteer - every gift goes straight to care for the children. Please visit the web sites, call, e-mail or write us with your questions. All donations are tax deductible. Please make your checks out to "Friends of Sarnelli House UA" and remember---any amount will be a great help.
Sorry, but this is a grassroots effort - no online capacity for making gifts.
Thanks so much,
Bonnie & Dave
Checks can be made out to: Sarnelli House UA
And sent: to: Ceboride, c/o Maggie Shea, N5350 Ledgetop Dr., Fond du Lac, WI 54935
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