The Cupertino Courier
Cover Story
Photograph courtesy of Marcel Stieber
About to wrap up their trip, the friends take a break by the Golden Gate Bridge. The tour lasted 19 days and raised $600 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Ride for Life
Lynbrook students bike for Lance Armstrong Foundation
By ELIZABETH DUTKIEWICZ
The distance, about 1,294 miles, did not deter Marcel Stieber and Lev Kulyashov, two Lynbrook High School students, from raising funds to benefit cancer patients and their families this summer. The two began their Bike for a Cure bike tour along the West Coast on June 19 to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation, an organization founded in 1997 by the cancer survivor and champion cyclist. The Lance Armstrong Foundation provides support for everyone affected by a cancer diagnosis.
After taking Amtrak to Seattle, and a bus to Vancouver, B.C., on June 21, Lev and Marcel rode along the Adventure Cycling Association's Pacific Coast Bike Route through Washington and Oregon. Their tour concluded in San Jose on July 10.
"It still hasn't hit me that we biked all the way from Canada," Marcel said. "Sitting at home, other countries, even states, seem so far away."
About six months ago, Lev told Marcel he wanted to do a ride to visit his father in Vancouver. Since both know many students and families affected by cancer, the teens wanted to do something to help. They decided to combine their love of cycling and the visit to Vancouver to raise awareness about cancer.
Before leaving, the two 17-year-olds made several practice rides with their mountain bikes loaded with gear to get a feel for weighted biking. One of their longest practice rides spanned 90 miles from San Jose to Stanford, over the Dumbarton Bridge to Sunol, into downtown San Jose, and back to their homes.
They say the most challenging aspects were funding and obtaining the gear. Corporate sponsors and private donors, especially the teens' parents, the bicycle donors--Profile Design and Bellwether--helped make their ride a success.
The donors provided Marcel and Lev with bikes, bike accessories and the clothing, which, along with camping gear, were the essentials. "The experience is almost inexplicable. It felt great biking along the coast, seeing the breathtaking scenery, meeting the dozens upon dozens of people and venturing around all the little quirky towns," Lev said.
Sometimes, the two stuck to Highway 101 rather than the scenic alternates of the Pacific Coast Bike Route, Marcel said. "There were some dangerous moments like big RVs passing us with mere inches of space between us and them at 50 miles per hour, or random dogs running out of yards," Lev said. Riding an average of 68 miles a day back to San Jose, the teens met others touring as well. They biked with one couple for a few days in Washington and Northern California.
"I am really proud about their accomplishment," said Marcel's mother, Hellen Bluhm Stieber. "They put a lot of time and energy into the planning of this trip, and I am glad that they were so successful." Marcel's parents met their son and Lev at a halfway point on the Oregon coast over the July 4 weekend, giving the adults a chance to see the teens in action. Marcel and Lev hope to bike to Mexico next year to finish the route or somewhere east, such as the Sierra.
For more information about Marcel and Lev's experience on the benefit tour, visit http://bikeforacure.blogspot.com.
Homestead and Monta Vista Key clubs raise funds for Relay for Life
School is out and summer is in the air, yet Homestead High School Key Club members have been keeping themselves busy. Since April, they've gathered donations for the Campbell Relay for Life that took place earlier this month.
Relay for Life is a 24-hour event designed to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives, provide services to those that are battling cancer, and give hope to those fighting the disease. Homestead Key Club has been a participant in the event for three years. This year, the team included four members from the Monta Vista High School Key Club.
Team captain Katherine Sun and co-captain Jennie Wong led the team in fundraisers such as car washes and a bake sale and made sure members continued individual fundraising as well. Many members exceeded the minimum individual fundraising contribution of $100 to the team, and the team exceeded its goal of raising $2,500.
During the event, adult and youth teams alike gathered at the Campbell Community Center and took turns walking or running laps around the track. Each team kept at least one team member on the track at all times. In addition, many activities were planned by the American Cancer Society for participants. These included Relay Idol, performances by local bands, a luminaria ceremony to honor those who have won their battle with cancer and to remember those who have died, a toilet paper fashion show.
Through the hot day and cold night, Homestead Key Club members took turns walking around the track, singing, dancing, laughing, playing games, eating and sleeping. Katherine Sun said, "The event was loads of fun." She added the team wants to thank all community residents and businesses that supported Homestead Key Club's efforts to make a difference and serve the community.
So far, the team has raised more than $5,330. However, the fundraising does not officially end until Aug. 31. The team is still accepting donations from the community. Please contact Katherine Sun at homestead_keyclub@yahoo.com.
