Chad Ohman appears to be a typical 15 year old high school student from Wetaskiwin – interested in computers and interactive media. However, instead of playing around with this technology for fun he is using it for a great cause. “I have a responsibility to give back to my community so I have found ways to use my abilities to do so,” says Chad.
Chad’s abilities include bike riding and being computer savvy. He decided to combine these abilities by registering as a cyclist in the RONA MS Bike Tour – Leduc to Camrose, on June 7 and 8, and broadcasting his journey in the tour live via a webcam on www.msbiketourlive.com. This is Chad’s first year riding in the tour and he has set a goal of raising $10,000 for multiple sclerosis.
Why MS? “I haven’t been affected by MS personally, however it seems that in the last two to three years, the amount of press concerning MS has increased rapidly,” says Chad. This spurred him to research the disease and in the process he learned that anyone can be affected by MS including young males like himself. “I realize that multiple sclerosis is a very serious disease that affects millions of people world wide and I feel that MS needs more help in finding a cure,” says Chad.
Chad is hoping that his website will do the trick. “I could easily raise $10,000 if I have enough publicity and traffic on my site and if enough people feel that their money is going to a good cause. I think that by showing myself riding in the tour with 1700 other people – it will spur people to chip in $25 or more – it is possible,” says Chad.
With that enthusiasm Chad is contacting everyone he knows to tell them about what he is doing. He is actively putting up posters around his community and in his school, Wetaskiwin Composite High School, and contacting high trafficked websites to see if their will post a link to his site and mention his goal. He has a lot of work ahead of him but is very excited for the challenge. For more information on Chad’s project visit www.msbiketourlive.com
The RONA MS Bike Tour – Leduc to Camrose is a fundraiser for the MS Society ofCanada – Alberta Division. With 1700 cyclists and 500 volunteers, it is the largest RONA MS Bike Tour in Canada. In 2007, the Tour raised a record breaking $1.25 million for MS research and services. This year’s goal is to raise over $1.4 million.
Alberta has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with over 11,000 people in the province living with the disease. MS typically strikes young adults between the ages of 15 to 40. Women are three times as likely to have MS compared to men. The cause and cure are unknown. Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable and often debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system.
To register for the bike tour, or for more information, please visit www.msbiketours.com.
To pledge Chad Ohman for the bike tour, or for more information, please visit www.msbiketourlive.com.
April 13th, 2008
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