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Cycle for Sight

Cycle for Sight 2015: A Fundraiser on Wheels

04/30/2015 LightHouse Staff

Anthony Dalli, Jimmy Cong and Andy Rodriquez stand in front of the Enchanted Hills Camp banner. Jimmy is in the center playing gum gum style on the guitar With sunny skies, mild temperatures and the largest number of blind riders on tandems, last month’s Cycle for Sight was a blast. What a great group of people – full of energy and vitality. It was wonderful to see all of the tandem riders and captains out on the road.

More than 2,500 people participated in this year’s event, a huge number for any Northern California ride. The Napa Rotary Club was aiming to have revenues exceed $250,000 for this event, which demonstrates how much effort went into it.

Heartfelt thanks go to: Our volunteers from Google and AmeriCorps for making the EHC water station an oasis, Jimmy Cong for playing his beautiful guitar tunes at the main rest stop, LightHouse Board member Gena Harper and camper Xianna Rodriguez for speaking with passion and eloquence from the stage, all of the riders who raised sponsorships to support Enchanted Hills and to Tony Fletcher for leading the team on a safe and fun adventure. Thank you to BORP (Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program) and Napa Valley Bike tours for lending tandem bikes to our fleet. And we truly appreciated the Silver Sponsorship of Sports Basement and donations of vittles from KIND Bars.

Most of all, thank you to the Napa Rotary Club for coordinating this fine event, making it possible for kids who are blind to have a transformative camp experience at Enchanted Hills.

Cycle for Sight 2016 will be on Saturday, April 16th. Don’t miss it!

Team LightHouse members (left to right) Elysia Arriola, Alexia Arriola, Maycie Vorrieter

A large group of Team LightHouse members gather in front of the LightHouse table at the festival

LightHouse News

It’s This Saturday – Still a Chance to Ride in Cycle for Sight

04/15/2015 LightHouse Staff

At Cycle for Sight 2014, Team LightHouse member Kate Williams raises her arm in greeting as she and her captain enjoy the speed of a tandem Online registration is about to close but don’t despair – you can still register for Cycle for Sight in person and ride with Team LightHouse.

Same day registration will be available onsite Saturday morning beginning at 7:00 a.m. and closing at 10:00 a.m. Festival tickets can be purchased at registration tables and at the festival entry opening at 11:00 a.m. Join 2,000 cyclists and get fit while supporting Enchanted Hills!

The ride starts and finishes at Justin Siena High School, 4026 Maher Street – Napa, CA 94558, where the Cycle for Sight Wine and Music Festival will take place.

If you have questions, contact Tony Fletcher via email at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319.

Get details on the race here.

LightHouse News

Cycle for Sight Spotlight – Gena Harper

04/14/2015 LightHouse Staff

GenaHarper

Please support Gena Harper in this year’s Cycle for Sight by sponsoring her ride.

We are thrilled to have LightHouse Board member and 2011 U.S. National Para-cycling Team member Gena Harper riding again in Cycle for Sight.

Gena is no stranger to triumph in the face of challenge. She was born with limited vision but this did not stop her from becoming Senior Vice President-Wealth Management, and Senior Investment Management Consultant at Morgan Stanley and one of the few blind people in the U. S. investment industry to win a bronze medal in the National Handicapped Ski Championships.

With her strong commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy, Gena is also a champion for Enchanted Hills Camp. She met her husband Mike May at Enchanted Hills Camp, and they married last year under the redwoods at Enchanted Hills Chapel. She got her cycling start as a tandem rider at Cycle for Sight four years ago. This year she will ride the 25 mile route with her son.

Her words of wisdom to blind cyclists? “Just do it. Get a partner and make it happen. There’s always a way. Work hard and be creative!”

Go Gena! Come out to Cycle for Sight in Napa and watch Gena fly by to her next challenge. Support her in this year’s Cycle for Sight by sponsoring her ride. Simply go to our donation page and select Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. You’ll want to put Gena’s name in the “I want my donation to be dedicated:” field.

LightHouse News

Clock is Ticking – Last Chance to Sign Up for Cycle for Sight 2015 on April 18

03/27/2015 LightHouse Staff

Margie Donovan holds Cycle for Sight 2013 trophy surrounded by members of Team LightHouse

>>Attention LightHouse Youth – See below for special Youth Overnighter at Enchanted Hills Camp

The day is almost here. If you haven’t already, it’s time to sign up to ride in the best bike ride of the year, Cycle for Sight 2015. Cycle for Sight boasts more than 2,000 riders and provides the single biggest fundraiser for Enchanted Hills Camp. Don’t be left out. Come join the largest and most fun group of tandem riders in Northern California to have some fun, get some exercise and support EHC’s life-changing programs.

Sign up at www.cycle4sight.com as a cyclist for Team LightHouse and enjoy the beauty of Napa and the challenge of a 15, 25 or 50 mile route with 2,000 other cyclists. After the ride you’ll enjoy wine tasting from Napa Valley wineries, beer tasting from local microbreweries and local cuisine from Napa Valley restaurants, all while grooving to the sounds of “Pride and Joy”.

When: Saturday, April 18, 2015. The first ride starts at 8:00 a.m.
Where: Starts at Justin Siena High School, 4026 Maher Street, Napa
Be sure to designate “Team LightHouse” when you register.

If you can’t ride, donate.

Thank you to Sports Basement for your sponsorship of this year’s Cycle for Sight!

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Special Youth Overnighter for Cycle for Sight!
LightHouse Youth ages 14 to 24 are gathering together as a force to join Team LightHouse in the annual Cycle for Sight Fundraiser, in Napa, to raise money for Enchanted Hills Camp. Each youth that registers to ride is invited to spend the night at Enchanted Hills Camp the Friday before the big event. Read about Cycle for Sight on our blog.

When: Friday, April 17 through Saturday, April 18
Depart LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters at 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 17 and return by 4:00 p.m. Saturday, April 18
Who: Blind and low vision youth, ages 14 to 24
To participate, please contact Jamey Gump at jgump@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7372.

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Pilots and Blind Stokers Wanted
Are you interested in piloting a tandem bike for a blind stoker? Or are you a blind stoker in need of a pilot? Contact Tony Fletcher via email at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319 to join Team LightHouse today.

LightHouse News

Meet Margie, A Cyclist in This Year’s Cycle for Sight

03/13/2015 LightHouse Staff

Margie Donovan holds Cycle for Sight 2013 trophy surrounded by members of Team LightHouse Meet Longtime Enchanted Hills supporter and Cycle for Sight Rider Margie Donovan.

Margie Donovan makes Cycle for Sight a priority every year. “I absolutely love the event,” she says. “It is well-organized and I love how Team LightHouse brings visibility to the blind community.” This year she will ride 25 miles on a tandem bike with her significant other, RC, as her captain. The pair is popular out on the course due to all the work they do with Enchanted Hills Camp.

Margie started off as a camper and has volunteered at family camp for at least twelve years. She and RC started the kayaking program, and she has run support groups for parents and teens. She especially enjoys working with female campers and mentoring them as they grow up. She’s made lifelong connections with many of the campers she’s met at Enchanted Hills.

Two years ago, Margie, along with the rest of Team LightHouse, took the cup for having the largest team at Cycle for Sight. It was an emotional achievement after all her years of service. Last year, she decided to raise money for another rider, one of her campers at Enchanted Hills. One of her favorite things about the ride is “seeing all the campers out on the course and then racing them in little spurts along the way.”

Go, Margie! We can’t wait to see what she does this year.

Support Margie Donovan in this year’s Cycle for Sight by donating to her campaign. Simply go to our donation page and select Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. You’ll want to put Margie’s name in the “I want my donation to be dedicated” field.

Join Team LightHouse and ride in Cycle for Sight on Saturday April 18! Register at www.cycle4sight.com. Be sure to designate “Team LightHouse” when you register.

For more information contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319.

LightHouse News

Meet Sean, A Cyclist in This Year’s Cycle for Sight

02/02/2015 LightHouse Staff

Sean McGee and his dad

This year’s Cycle for Sight, held on Saturday, April 18, will be 15-year-old Sean McGee’s fifth year riding tandem with his dad, Kevin, as pilot. Before taking on tandem riding, Sean rode behind Kevin’s bike on a tag-a-long attachment for several years.

This year the pair is taking on the 25-mile route, a distance Sean is proud to have achieved last year. Sean’s mom, Kathleen, says “We are all excited to be able to ride in the wine country and raise money for Enchanted Hills Camp and Pathways.”

This high school freshman has been a camper at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind for seven years and running, Sean says his favorite camp memories are the hay rides and making new friends with fellow campers and counselors. Kathleen adds, “We love interacting with the camp staff and letting Sean explore in a safe environment. The camp is a comfortable place to relax and try new activities.”

Support Sean McGee in this year’s Cycle for Sight by donating to his campaign. Simply go to our donation page and select Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. You’ll want to put Sean’s name in the “I want my donation to be dedicated:” field.

Join Team LightHouse this year on Saturday April 18! Register at www.cycle4sight.com. Be sure to designate “Team LightHouse” when you register.

For more information contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319.

LightHouse News

The Freedom of Riding

04/24/2014 Lisamaria Martinez

Fourteen-and-a-half year old Jacob Obeso of San Leandro is stoked to be a stoker for his second Cycle for Sight ride, a signature fundraiser benefiting Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind where he has participated as a camper for several summers. This Saturday, Jacob and his dad Robert will be pedaling 25 miles along the scenic roads of Napa as one of 40 tandems and 2500 cyclists.

Jacob’s mother Martha told us that tandem cycling was one of the very few things her son could do when he began to lose his vision. She said, “He couldn’t do a lot of sports and athletics but we got him to ride bikes. He liked it. I kept looking for things he could do and I found Cycle for Sight. The first year, my kids and I rode 15 miles. Jacob was really psyched to have so much support from the family. This year he’ll be riding 25 miles with my husband, no hesitation on Jacob’s part. Bike riding is a sense of freedom for him.”

Jacob is a freshman in high school. He has been attending Enchanted Hills Camp for a handful of summers now and, like so many blind campers before him, has benefited greatly from the transformative camp experience. Martha says, “Camp has completely changed Jacob’s attitude. He found other kids that he could relate to and now he is far more comfortable with his visual impairment. He loves EHC. The counselors are just fantastic and many are great blind role models.”

His love for camp and his need to feel free while biking are two reasons why Jacob and his family are riding this Saturday in Cycle for Sight. The Obeso family is hard at work raising money to help blind youth of all ages experience the magic of Enchanted Hills Camp. For 64 summers, Enchanted Hills has been a place where blind children and adults learn, grow and discover a new sense of self-confidence and freedom.

You can help Jacob and his family raise money for Enchanted Hills Camp by going to our
donation page and selecting Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. Be sure to put Jacob’s name in the “in honor of” field.

For more information about Cycle for Sight or Enchanted Hills Camp, contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or call 415-694-7319.

Ride on!

LightHouse News

Attitude is Everything

04/17/2014 Lisamaria Martinez

Kate Williams of San Francisco is taking on a personal challenge this year at Cycle for Sight, the signature ride benefiting Enchanted Hills Camp. She will be riding 15 miles on a tandem bike, and this ride will be her first significant spin since 1997 when she began losing her vision. Kate, who is a grandmother, said, “I want to prove to myself I can do it. I did the Avon Breast Cancer walk before and I thought I couldn’t do that either. The first year I almost didn’t.” But why wouldn’t you do what you like and what you want to do.

Kate is the program manager for the LightHouse Employment Immersion Program, which helps dozens of blind people find competitive work every year. When asked why she wanted to finally get back on the horse, she said, “it just seemed like the right thing to do. LightHouse always fundraises for various programs, and I want to participate and give back. Plus, there’s a social aspect to it.” Kate advises that, “Attitude is everything, so today, be sure you pick a good one.”

It is with this intrepid attitude that Kate and her Pilot will hit the roads of Napa on Saturday, April 26 to help raise money for Enchanted Hills Camp, a program of the LightHouse for the Blind. For 64 summers, Enchanted Hills Camp has been a place where blind children and adults learn, grow and discover a new sense of self-confidence and poise.

If you’ve decided today to have an attitude of giving, donate to Cycle for Sight and support Kate William’s fundraising campaign. Simply go to our donation page and
select Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. Be sure to put Kate’s name in the “in honor of” field.

Join Team LightHouse today! Register at www.cycle4sight.com and ride with Team LightHouse. For more information, or to sign up as a tandem pilot or stoker, contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or call 415-694-7319.

Ride on!

LightHouse News

Who Knew That Giving Could Be So Energizing

04/17/2014 Lisamaria Martinez

This will be LightHouse Board member Chris Downey’s third year in a row to participate in Cycle for Sight. Chris tells us why supporting Enchanted Hills Camp in this way is so important to him.

Q: How old are you?
A: I’m a 6 year old blind kid trapped in a 51 year old body.

Q: What city are you from?
A: Piedmont.

Q: Which route will you be taking?
A: All the way – 50 or bust!

Q. What motivated you to ride this year and in the past?
A: The LightHouse was central to my rehabilitation from sight loss and it has remained central ever since. Now I’m in the “give back” phase as I fully appreciate the significance of the programs at the LightHouse and its Enchanted Hills Camp. As a Board Member, I’m absolutely thrilled by the direction and energy of the organization and want to do all that I can to maximize its potential in service of its current and future clients. Beyond that, I want to support its growth as “the place to be” for the Bay Area’s community of blind and visually impaired.

Q: What is your connection to Enchanted Hills Camp?
A: I’ve never been lucky enough to be an EHC Camper but have had numerous opportunities to stay overnight at camp for events as a member of the Board. Consequently, my relationship is primarily as a supporter and cheerleader.

Q: What is your connection to the LightHouse?
A: I started as a client in 2008, became a Board Member in late 2009 and have served as a Vice President since 2012. Closer to the heart, however, I’m truly grateful to the LightHouse for all it has done for me and my family since becoming a part of this incredible family.

Q: Any words of wisdom?
A: 1) If on the road heading down Mt. Veeder on the morning of April 26, watch out for the screaming tandem.
2) If blind and pointing downhill on Mt. Veeder and the sweat gets in your eyes, just close them and refer others to the initial “words of wisdom”.

Q: What is your fundraising goal?
A: My big audacious goal is $3,000. This is a significant reach due to other commitments over the next month but I’ll do my best to push for it.

Can you help Chris “give back”? $3,000 can send 3 blind youth to Enchanted Hills Camp this summer where children learn, grow and discover a new sense of self-confidence and poise.

Be a cheerleader like Chris. Be part of the community of supporters who believe in the significance and impact that camp has had on hundreds of blind youth for 64 summers. It’s simple. Go to our donation page and select Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. Be sure to put Chris’s name in the “in honor of” field.

You too can ride! Join Team LightHouse by registering at www.cycle4sight.com and ride with Team LightHouse on Saturday April 26. For more information, or to sign up as a tandem pilot or stoker, contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org.

Ride on!