August UPDATE

I am excited to tell you all the things that have been going on! First, let’s talk about Lance Armstrong and my stand!

 

YES...I SUPPORT LIVESTRONG! YES...I SUPPORT LANCE ARMSTRONG! YES...LANCE WILL ALWAYS BE MY HERO FOR MORE THAN HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ON A BIKE. HE'S HELPED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FACING CANCER. DON'T BE A HATER UNTIL YOU'VE WALKED IN HIS SHOES AND DONE WHAT HE'S DONE FOR MILLIONS WHO NEED HOPE!! OK, now let's move on! 

FACTS:

My fundraising goal is $20,000

I have raised $5,477
5 weeks until I will turn in all my fundraising money
6 weeks until the Luke’s 5-Line Ride
8 weeks until I‘ll be in Austin at the LIVESTRONG Challenge

CYCLING:

I raced in the 2012 Oklahoma State Criterium Championship last weekend. I didn’t win the State title but felt like I was really racing better. I raced at Hotter'N Hell 100 this weekend in Wichita Falls, TX! This is a huge race and my first year to race in it! I was super excited. I felt ready since I’ve been training for the 5-Line and LIVESTRONG rides. I have to tell you we all faced BRUTAL WINDS ALL DAY!! I set a new PB in a road race and I was happy with how I did. I placed 8th but had my fastest mph so I can't complain!

 FUNDRAISING NEWS:

Well, the big news is we have a website for the 5-Line ride!! Please go check it out http://lukes5line.com! We are also pretty psyched because we have a new friend, Jim Beach, who has joined us to help make this ride something super special. He’s been putting on amazing rides like DAM J.A.M. and Tulsa Tough’s Gran Fondos for many years. We feel really lucky to have him helping us! Thank you Jim! We think you will train us to be worthy ride Jedi's!!

We still have 5-Line shirts and decals for sale at Dwelling Spaces in Tulsa. There is going to be a super cool art show at Dwelling Spaces on September 22 with the focus on the beauty of Black Mesa (where our ride is being held)! You should really plan to attend!
 
You can see how cool our t-shirts are on our website! Go check out Doug Ulman, CEO of LIVESTRONG, wearing his 5-Line shirt! 100% of the proceeds will benefit my LIVESTRONG fundraising goal.
 

There are raffle tickets still available for the 2012 Trek LIVESTRONG FX bike. 100% of these ticket sales will go towards my LIVESTRONG fundraising goal. The tickets are only $5 each and the bike is worth $600!! Heck of a deal!

 

The Luke’s 5-Line is coming together! We made the front page of the Boise City News! We have secured complimentary food/lodging for all our riders. We have hired a caterer to prepare and serve all 3 meals on Saturday, October 6! The routes and feed zone are set! We’re getting more sponsors! In fact, we even have a beer sponsor, Black Mesa Brewing Co. How perfect is that?? It is really getting exciting!

Have you ever wondered why we call it the 5-Line ride? Well, the riders will chose how many state lines they want to cross in a single day! How cool is that?? They can chose between a 20 mile family fun ride, a 3-Line ride (40 mi), 4-Line (95 mi) or the 5-Line (120 mi). They will travel through one of the most beautiful parts of Oklahoma! You gotta come see it! We are planning to make this an annual event but if you don’t come this year you can never say I was there at the first one!! People can find the link to register for the ride on our website under Details/Registration! There’s a limited number of spots and registration closes on September 21, 2012. So what are you waiting for???

This year LIVESTRONG will celebrate 15 years of work to inspire and empower people affected by cancer! They started the same year I was born and I’m stoked to be able to celebrate this in Austin! I’m so excited with the amount of donations I have already received but the fight is still on to defeat cancer. I still have long way to go to reach my goal. If you are still trying to decide if you want to donate please think about this, 81% of every dollar goes right back to support the programs and services for survivors. This year alone they have saved clients $3.1 million in services and been able to launch 87 new programs throughout the country!! You are helping make a difference!

Please consider making a donation. Your tax deductible contribution would be one more weapon in this fight and would go a long way to help meet the needs of the millions living with cancer.

Thank you to those who have already donated!!! I truly appreciate all your support! Please check out my TRIBUTE WALL (below) to see the names of people I will be riding for this year. I will happily carry your loved one’s name with me and post it on the Wall of Honor in Austin with a donation, no matter the amount. As always, I have dedicated my mission to my grandfather (Poppy)!

Don’t forget you can follow me and the ride on Twitter (@lukethebikeman or @lukes5line) or Facebook (Luke’s 5-Line Ride)!

Thank you in advance for your time and generosity! I look forward to hearing from you and will be sure to keep you posted on my fundraising/training progress.

TRIBUTE WALL

Jim Pemberton (my Poppy)-Angel

Scott Raffe-Angel
Theresa Hild-Angel
Mrs. Myers-Rose (survivor)
Aunt Norma Jo-Angel
Alex TeRuki (coach’s dad)-Angel
Christopher Parks-Fighter
Makenzee Highfill-Fighter
Austin Dej-Rose (survivor)
Loralei Decker-Fighter
Ronnie Slawson-Angel
Lance Armstrong-Rose
Doug Ulman-Rose
Chris Brewer-Rose

 

100%

I hear my parents say all the time “where has the time gone?”. I am kind of thinking the same thing. WOW! It really isn’t too long now till so many things happen!! I thought I would send you an update on how things are going!

FACTS:

My fundraising goal is $20,000

I have raised $4,246 to date

8 weeks till the Luke’s 5-Line Ride
11 weeks till I need to turn in my fundraising money

14 weeks till I'll be riding in Austin's LIVESTRONG Challenge

CYCLING:

I'm getting in lots of base miles because the racing season has slowed way down. I've been working on many areas of my cycling so I will be ready to ride 65 miles in Austin.

FUNDRAISING NEWS:
I am still selling 5-Line t-shirts and decals at Dwelling Spaces in Tulsa, or you can contact me if you’d like to purchase one of these items.

100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG.

I am raffling off a 2012 Trek LIVESTRONG FX bike. The raffle tickets are only $5 and, again, you can contact me to purchase.

100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG.

I held a LIVESTRONG garage sale this past weekend and raised over $600!! I will be holding another sale as soon as I can gather some more items from family, friends and neighbors!

100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG.

The biggest news is we are putting all the pieces together on the Luke’s 5-Line Ride. We have had riders signing up...how cool is that!?! We are lucky to have support from the local community in Boise City and the surrounding towns! I have to give a big thank to my Tulsa friends (who don’t want a lot of glory) but who are a huge help to make this ride a great time! I think it’s so cool that all our riders will be covered by ICE.events (In Case of Emergency). ICE.events is a system connecting your bib number to your identification, medical information and emergency contacts. If you’d like to come and ride with us you can get registered at https://www.usacycling.org/events/index.php?event=2054&year=2012. There is a limited number of spots so sign up early!

Registration for the ride is $250 ($200 will be tax-deductible and going straight to LIVESTRONG) Remember: This includes complimentary lodging in the bunk house for the first 25 riders and tent accomodations for the next 25, 4 meals and ride entry!!

I am very excited with the amount of donations I have already received but the fight is still on to defeat cancer. And, I still have a long way to go to reach my goal. If you are still trying to decide if you want to contribute please consider this:

“Where the Money Goes

LIVESTRONG endeavors to be the best possible stewards of the outstanding financial commitments made by its donors and partners and to leverage those funds in the global fight against cancer.

We gratefully thank our donors on behalf of the people served through your generosity.

Making a donation—at any level—can be a complex and difficult decision. For that reason, we are as transparent as possible about how we have been, and will continue to be, good stewards of your gifts.

Since our inception, we have raised more than $400 million dollars for the fight against cancer, and 81 percent of those funds have gone directly to support our programs and services for survivors.

2010
In 2010 we had functional expenses totaling $35,746,206, and 81 percent of every dollar raised went directly to programmatic funding totaling $28,954,426.”

Read more here http://goo.gl/YQzF2.

Please consider making a donation. Your tax deductible contribution would be one more weapon in this fight and would go a long way to help meet the needs of millions living with cancer. You can donate online at http://laf.livestrong.org/goto/lukeisthebikeman. Don't forget you can also follow me on my blog, Twitter (@lukethebikeman or @lukes5line) or Facebook!!

Thank you to those of you who have already donated. I am very excited with the amount of donations I have already received but the fight is still on to defeat cancer. And, I still have a long way to go to reach my goal. Check out my Tribute Wall (below) to see those I will be riding for in Austin. I will carry your loved one with me as well and put their name on the Wall of Honor in Austin with a donation, no matter the size. As always, my main inspiration and how I got started on this path was because of my grandfather (Poppy)! I think he would be proud!

LIVESTRONG

Tribute Wall



Jim Pemberton (my Poppy)-Angel

Scott Raffe-Angel

Theresa Hild-Angel

Mrs. Myers-Rose (survivor)

Aunt Norma Jo-Angel

Alex TeRuki (coach's father)-Angel
Austin Dej-Rose (survivor)

Christopher Parks-Fighter

Makenzee Highfill-Fighter

Loralei Decker-Fighter

Ronnie Slawson-Angel

Lance Armstrong-Rose (survivor)

Doug Ulman-Rose (survivor)

Chris Brewer-Rose (survivor)

It's ON!

LIVESTRONG 2012 is ON!!! 

Well, I raised over $10,000 in 2011 but I've raised the bar and I'm going to raise over $20,000 in 2012. And, I've already started! So, if you would like to help me reach my goal I would really appreciate it and so will the 28 MILLION living with cancer plus their families and friends. Your donation can help so many! It's super simple just click on the link below and it will take you to my donation page! I will ride for your friend, family member or you with your donation! I wish you all a Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year! 

DONATE

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING...

I JUST KEEP READING IT AND STILL I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

Dear Luke,

Congratulations! You have hit the $10,000 fundraising mark, and we are thrilled to invite you to participate in the 2011 Ride for the Roses Weekend as a White Jersey member. We cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work and we look forward to celebrating your accomplishments.  

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH (a bunch of other cool stuff)

Again, we send our sincere thanks for your support of LIVESTRONG and the global fight against cancer. We are excited to welcome you to Austin and to celebrate your remarkable fundraising accomplishments.

We’ll see you in October!

SERIOUSLY!!

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!

This email got me thinking about why they hand out Yellow Roses to all the survivors at the end of the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride. What did the Yellow Rose mean? And, this is what I found:

"The bright, sunny color of yellow roses evokes a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship."

So, it truly is the most appropriate flower to hand those who have survived cancer! I noticed last year that those who had survived truly had an instant connection with each other. They were true friends with stories to tell. They had a joy for life and valued friendships. They appreciated life differently than before and were happy to share their stories with you!

As I ride in this year's LIVESTRONG Challenge I will carry those roses with me (even if it's just a picture on my jersey). I will think of those who have beat this disease and still have stories to share but I will also think of those who were not as lucky. Those people (their families & friends) have stories to tell too. They also have a connection with each other in a different way. And, then, there are those who are still out there FIGHTING to survive the weeds of cancer and become a Yellow Rose! I will be riding for all of these people! I will be riding for the Roses, the Fighters and the Angels!

I can't wait till OCTOBER!!! It's going to be EPIC!

I LOVE YOU POPPY

AND I MISS YOU!

LIVESTRONG

Tribute Wall



Jim Pemberton (my Poppy)-Angel

Scott Raffe-Angel

Mrs. Myers-Rose

Alex TeRuki (coach's father)-Angel

Don Cook-Angel

Christopher Parks-Fighter

Chad Kavanaugh-Rose

Susan Ringer-Angel

Grandma Pettit-Angel

Ronnie Slawson-Angel

Andie Ersman-Rose

Ida Yeager-Angel

Janis-Rose
John M-Angel

Alice-Rose

Lonnie-Angel

Jeff-Rose

Granddad-Angel

Charlene Mattingly-Angel
Shorty Thurman-Angel
John Calhoun-Angel

Lance Armstrong-Rose

Doug Ulman-Rose

Chris Brewer-Rose

28 MILLION-ROSES & FIGHTERS

July went FAST!

OK, how many of you thought this year's Tour de France went really fast? I kept some of the stages on our DVR so I can go back and watch again! It was different not having Lance Armstrong there since he's been in almost every TdF I have ever seen but it was still a very exciting race. It was great for the American teams (BMC, Garmin-Cervelo, HTC-Highroad), new teams (Leopard Trek) and seasoned veteran (George Hincapie)! Congratulations to Cadel Evans (BMC)...great job!!!! You are a true CHAMPION!

FACTS:

I have raised $3,058 to date 

13 days till my birthday (I'll be 14)

20 days till my next race
60 days till I need to turn in my fundraising money

76 days till I'll be riding in Austin's LIVESTRONG Challenge

CYCLING:
I'm training, training and training because the racing season has slowed way down. I've been working on many areas of my cycling including longer rides with my parents so we will all be ready to ride our 45 miles in Austin.

FUNDRAISING NEWS:
 I held my auction on eBay and sold the Sports Illustrated signed by Lance Armstrong and the Discovery Cycling cap signed by George Hincapie. It was great because the Sports Illustrated was purchased by a lady who follows me on Twitter. The cap was purchased by a family whose son races on my team. I didn't even know until the auction was over! How cool is that!?! They were both really excited to have won these items.

My friend Noah is planning a big BBQ/auction fundraiser in September. It's going to a great evening! It's a perfect way for him to honor his friend, Scott Raffe, and help me reach my goal. The other awesome part is Biju Thomas is going to be the guest chef. He's the team chef at MapMyFitness and also works with Team Radioshack cooking for the guys. I met him last month and so excited he will be part of this evening. I wish to thank Noah and Biju for their help to help me,

 HELP THE 28 MILLION LIVING WITH CANCER!

I am also holding a raffle. I will be raffling the OU autographed jersey (signed by Adrian Peterson, Roy Williams, Mark Clayton and Tommie Harris) as the Grand Prize and the second item will be a  $50 gift card from Funky Monkey! Funky Monkey features designer apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family. We are also waiting to hear from two other potential donors so I'll keep you posted! The raffle tickets will be $1 or you can buy a book of 10 for $10. If you are interested in buying a raffle ticket contact me and let me know.

I will be having a LIVESTRONG Garage Sale and Lemonade stand on August 6th. 100% of the proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG. I am still planning to hold more fundraising events details will follow as they become available!

 I am very excited with the amount of donations I have already received but the fight is still on to defeat cancer. And, I still have a long way to go to reach my goal.

If you are still trying to decide if you want to contribute consider this statement from the Greg Lee, CFO of LIVESTRONG: "At the foundation, more than $245 million (81% of each dollar spent) has been invested directly in cancer programs, initiatives and advocacy efforts to change the way the world fights cancer." Read more here http://bit.ly/m4Furc.

Please consider making a donation. Your tax deductible contribution would be one more weapon in this fight and would go a long way to help meet the needs of millions. You can donate online at http://austin2011.livestrong.org/lukeisthebikeman. Don't forget you can also follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/lukethebikeman

 Thank you in advance for your time and generosity. I look forward to hearing from you and will be sure to keep you updated on my fundraising and training progress as I prepare for this event.

LIVESTRONG

MY MISSION

I'm 13 years old & on a MISSION TO STOP CANCER

I started racing bicycles in March 2010 and I started taking action against cancer in August of the same year. I wanted to be like my hero Lance Armstrong. He's my hero because of what he has done on a bike but more importantly for what he's done for the 28 million living with cancer. He gave people with cancer and their families a face of HOPE. When I heard my Poppy had cancer I was scared but I had HOPE. Although, my Poppy lost his fight I will never quit fighting to help others. The money I raise will help fund cancer research, help increase cancer survivorship, raise awareness through education and help fight cancer at a global level. I am really sad right now because we have lost two more great men to cancer. My aunt's brother-in-law, John Mendenhall, passed away last night. He was a solider in our military and had fought to keep us free. Then, he had to keep fighting. He fought bravely but sadly lost the latest battle to cancer. I am really sad for  my aunt's sister (John's wife); they had only been married one year. And, of course, his daughter. And, then, on July 4th we lost Scott Raffe to pancreatic cancer. He was an internationally renowned photographer. You should check out some of his photographs. They are amazing! http://www.raffephoto.com/raffe.html http://www.circusflora.org/photos/albums/2/ These men will be missed by their families and friends. I will be riding 45 miles in the Austin LIVESTRONG Challenge. I am riding for Survivors, Warriors and Angels. I might only be 13 years old but I will never quit cycling and using my bike to help others! I hope you can help me reach my goal! I will add your family member, loved one, or friend to my jersey with your donation. Click Here to make a donation for my ride in October! Thank you! LIVESTRONG TRIBUTE WALL: Survivors: Chad K Andie E Warriors: Angels: My Poppy Ronnie S Ida Y Scott R John M Shorty T John C