This weekend, Heather Roy, owner of Coolidge Corner’s Artana Gallery will join cyclists from all over New England in the Boston2Portland benefit bike ride. Now entering its third year, the Boston2Portland ride funds research to fight Parkinson’s Disease.

Heather’s involvement in the ride began last year in the form of volunteering and sponsorship.

She traveled the course in the support van, cheering on the die-hard riders through weather that was anything but cooperative. This year, though, she’ll experience the race on two wheels, traveling the Third-Century leg – from York Beach to Old Orchard Beach in Maine. Heather is looking forward to riding the 36-mile leg of the B2P on her “screamin’ red K2 road bike”, but the event also carries personal meaning. She is dedicating the ride to her Godfather Norman Bingham of Ashburnham and her friend Bill Giarrusso of Hingham/Hull.

Sponsorship of Heather’s ride is most welcome (ALL proceeds from the B2P goes directly to research against Parkinson’s Disease). To support Heather in the Boston2Portland, checks made out to FND or The Foundation for Neurologic Diseases may be directed to her at  Artana Gallery, 1378 Beacon Street, Suite B, Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA 02446. In the memo area of the check, please note “Heather Roy” as the sponsored rider.

About the Boston2Portland

Boston2Portland is New England’s first benefit bike ride to help fund research to fight Parkinson’s Disease, now heading into its third year.

Not just one, but three overlapping rides, finishing at the same time, Boston2Portland gives riders of every level of skill the chance to contribute to the fight to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease.

Unlike any other ride of it’s kind, 100% of every donation goes directly to research to fight Parkinson’s, through theFoundation for Neurologic Diseases.

The Rides

Boston2Portland is made up of three legs, a full Century (100-mile) ride, starting on Revere Beach, a half-Century 50-mile ride starting in Rye New Hampshire, and a third-Century (36 miles, to tell the truth…) starting from York Beach Maine. The rides are timed to overlap, with riders from all three legs finishing together in Old Orchard Beach at “The Pier”. It’s one of the prettiest routes in New England… following the coast up from Revere and Lynn beaches through Hamilton, Ipswich, and Newburyport, on through the New Hampshire beaches up to the rolling coastal hills of Kittery and Kennebunk, in Southern Maine. The finish, down the final approach in Old Orchard Beach, to the famous “Pier”, is a remarkable experience… riding wheel-to-wheel with old friends, and friends just made, down Main Street, together in a great cause.

The Money

All the funds raised go directly to the Foundation for Neurologic Diseases, specifically to fight Parkinson’s. Established in Boston in 1988, the Foundation supports innovative research on Parkinson’s disease (PD), as well as AD, MLS and ALS. The Foundation’s work is carried out at the Center for Neurologic Diseases , a world-renowned laboratory at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Supporting the Foundation ensures that every dollar we raise will go to research, not overhead.

Background

Founded in 2005 by Dedham resident Ted Dillard, Boston2Portland started with a small, intrepid group 6 riders, raising $3500. 2006 saw an explosion of support- ridership grew to 88 riders with 40 volunteers, donations skyrocketed to over $60,000. Already in mid-August ’07 the registered riders passed tho 100-rider mark, the ride has picked up corporate sponsorship from CitySports and Tech Superpowers, and there are over 50 volunteers.

A lifetime Massachusetts resident (a graduate of Bromfield High School in Harvard, MA. and now working in Boston) Dillard is has strong ties to Maine- he is a graduate of the University of Maine in Orono. His sister, Martha Dillard, (who suffers from Parkinson’s) is a resident of Topsham, ME and also a graduate of Bromfield, (Harvard MA) and the University of Maine.

Ms. Dillard is a member of The Maine Young Onset Parkinsons Support Group, started in 2002 by Terry Berkowitz at Pine Tree Society, and now directed by Susan Withington. Meeting monthly, the group offers information, discussion, guest speakers and ongoing support for the Young Parkinsons patient whose challenges are very different from the older patient.