Home Voorhees News Mayor’s Column: MS Bike Race

Mayor’s Column: MS Bike Race

Mayor Michael Mignogna gives insight about the upcoming MS Bike to Shore Ride.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 MS Bike to Shore Ride was conducted virtually. This year, the 41st Annual Bike MS City to Shore Ride will be held in person on Sept. 25 and 26. Voorhees is again proud to be a participant in the event, which begins at the PATCO Woodcrest Speedline Station in Cherry Hill then travels two miles through our community on its way to Ocean City.

Named by Bicycling Magazine as the “Best Cycling Getaway in N.J.,” the ride promises to be the best cycling experience on the East Coast and takes riders through scenic South Jersey to the shore. Bike MS City to Shore is more than a ride, it is an experience grounded in camaraderie and marked by passion, inspiration, determination and pure enjoyment. The two-day event, with route options for all cycling abilities from 25-175 miles, will take you through the flat terrain and back roads of South Jersey to the blueberry fields of Hammonton. At the end of the ride, 7,000 cyclists will roll into Ocean City to cheering volunteers, family and an atmosphere that could not be more electric. Following an overnight stay, cyclists return to Cherry Hill on Sunday for a festive finish line celebration. This year, the event will be implementing a variety of safety protocols consistent with current guidance from the CDC, state, and local agencies to keep our participants, volunteers, staff and host communities as safe as possible. They include:

  • Pre-Event health screening of all staff, participants and volunteers.
  • Cyclists must bring their own water bottles. Individual water bottles will be available for refills.
  • Reduced touchpoints to minimize physical interactions.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the event including packet pickup locations, higher traffic areas, and in and around portable toilets.
  • Face coverings will be required for all riders, volunteers, and staff throughout the event regardless of vaccination status for COVID-19, effective Monday, August 2nd. Riders may remove their masks when out on the road, eating, or drinking.
  • Event signage will promote safe social distancing practices including maintaining 6 feet of distance or more between others.
  • Dedicated lanes and waiting spots will be provided to aid in physical distancing in areas where cyclists congregate such as packet pick-up, start line, and restrooms based on local guidelines.
  • Anyone at increased risk or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will be directed to stay home.

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system which impacts the lives of more than 14,000 local people who live with the disease. The symptoms are unpredictable and vary from person to person. They can range from abnormal fatigue or numbness to severe vision problems or difficulty walking.

The National MS Society’s mission is to create a world free of Multiple Sclerosis. As the largest nonprofit fundraiser of MS research in the world, the Society has invested more than $500 million and provides more services to those living with MS than any other organization in the world.

Bike MS is the largest fundraising bike series in the world. Each year, nearly 75,000 cyclists and more than 6,000 teams ride together to change the world for people with MS.  Bike MS City to Shore Ride depends on the support of more than 1,200 volunteers for its success each year. The Bike MS community has raised more money than any other cycling event for any other cause. To date, Bike MS cyclists, volunteers, and donors have raised more than $1.4 billion to stop MS in its tracks, restore what’s been lost, and end MS forever.

To learn more about the event or to register to participate or volunteer, visit mscycling.org or call 1 -800-445-BIKE.

Get ready for the ride of your life. Enjoy an unforgettable ride to an unbeatable destination for a world free of MS.

**Our final summer series event will be a drive-in movie on Sept. 10. The PG movie Goosebumps will be shown on a 40-foot outdoor screen at the Voorhees Town Center parking lot. The movie will start at dusk and parking begins at 7:00 p.m. There will be food vendors available. No pets/alcohol/smoking/vaping allowed. Parking is in designated spots and space is limited. Lawn chairs and blankets are permitted.

** Voorhees Township is offering discounted tickets to Morey’s Piers in Wildwood. Tickets are available in the Municipal Clerk’s Office at Voorhees Town Hall. Prices vary according to the type of ticket and several options are available to residents and non-residents. For more information.

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