Group Cycles Across the Country, Raises More Than $35,000 to Help Fight Alzheimer’s

Jenny Lorenz has personal experience with Alzheimer’s. Her mother is living in the late stages of the disease, and her aunts and uncles have lost their lives to it, as well. To help others fighting the illness, she and a group of friends decided to cycle across the country.

On an Alzheimer’s Association fundraising page, Lorenz said, “I’ve watched this horrible disease rob my beautiful mother of her memory, her ability to do the things she loves and the ability to take care of herself. It’s been heartbreaking for my dad as he’s watched the love of his life slowly slip away. It’s been heartbreaking for all of us to realize she doesn’t remember who we are.

“So I want to do whatever I can to provide resources to advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.”

This goal led Lorenz and her Team Biking to Remember teammates to pedal off from San Diego on March 12 with the goal of raising $50,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association. When they reached St. Augustine, Florida, just over two months later, they’d managed well over $30,000.

They shared photos from their triumphant finish on their Facebook page, where they’d provided regular updates from their journey, including daily miles, elevation gain, and pictures. A week later, they were back home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for a post-ride celebration.

As they finished their goal, Lorenz encouraged others to do what they can to help fight Alzheimer’s, even if their contribution may seem small compared to a cross-country bike ride.

She said, “I don’t know of anyone who has not been impacted by Alzheimer’s in some way: A family member, a friend, a friend of a friend. So, I would just encourage people to get involved and to make a difference. Because everybody has that opportunity whether it’s big or small.”

As of a week and a half after their return, their fundraising total was just over $38,000 and counting.

To find out more about their cross country trek, visit the team’s Facebook page.