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[IMAGE: Team N3kk1d Prepares for Pedaling at the West Michigan Bike Tour 2010]
Team N3kk1d has provided cyclists to the West Michigan Bike MS event (previously the MS 150 Bike Tour) since 2003. Our team has grown from a handful of riders to a double group of both cyclists and volunteers who are involved in one or both days of the event. 2004 saw our first year as a Bronze Level fundraising group; we have consistently met award-winning fundraising benchmarks each year since.
Our cyclist team consists of both experienced and beginner-level riders. Several route options enable us to accommodate many levels of riding ability. Two-day cyclists and volunteers spend the night on location at the tour and are able to socialize with both their fellow teammates and also other participants as well.
This year's West Michigan Bike MS weekend will occur on June 8th and 9th, 2013. We would like to reach out to all Team N3kk1d alumni and invite them to be a part of our ten year anniversary! Join us in downtown Holland on Saturday the 8th or (better yet) at ROCK MS in April. We'd love to see everyone there! Email us for more details.
[IMAGE: Sloth is awarded his first 25K medal in 2010]
The Fifth Third River Bank Run is the largest 25K road race in the United States with more than 20,000 runners, walkers, and volunteers. As a charity partner for the River Bank Run, Team N3kk1d and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society are dedicated to providing runners, walkers, and volunteers to the event to raise money for the fight against MS.
Team N3kk1d and b4r3 4rm5 hit the scene in downtown Grand Rapids for a massive sports and fitness expo on May 10th, 2013 and the run itself the next morning on the 11th. With fundraising at $2,000 and counting, we're blowing away last year's totals and looking forward to our third year as a charity partner in 2014! A huge thanks to our donors, sponsors, and participants as well as to the Fifth Third River Bank Run committee for their continued partnership; it has been an honor and privilege!
[IMAGE: Glitch from the Rubber Band approves of Stella's event promotions]
TRULY EPIC. That is the only way to describe the second annual ROCK MS event which took place on Sunday, April 28th 2013 at Stella's Lounge in downtown Grand Rapids! This year's Battle of the Bands ended in a spectacular single-song knock-out between Scottie Cocks and The Drunken Uncles. While the Uncles took top prize, everyone went home with swag and smiles as we rolled out FIFTY raffle items to an appreciative crowd. The great news? 100% of all event proceeds from Team N3kk1d plus 20% of all drink and food purchases from Stella's went to the National MS Society! None of it would have been possible without a monumental effort on the part of Godwin Plumbing, Stella's Lounge, and our incredible volunteers and supporters. A huge round of applause!
Team N3kk1d is truly humbled by the generosity of all of our event sponsors: Harmonix, Guitar Center, Meijer, The Intersection, DJ Kermit, On Stage Services, Celebration! Cinemas, The Sloth Underground Production Studio, Darlene Rittersdorf / BeautiControl, and Target.
[IMAGE: The c0ncr373 cru5h3r5 embody the spirit of youth!]
Team N3kk1d alumni, family, and friends have been participating in the Grand Rapids Walk MS event for years. Now, a younger generation takes to the stage: the c0ncr373 cru5h3r5! On Saturday, May 18th 2013, team captain Heather assembled a group of friends from Mulick Park Elementary to raise FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for the fight against multiple sclerosis. The group hit the Aquinas College campus and pounded the pavement, walking three miles and then cheering for participants at the finish line. They are extremely close to meeting their goal; click on the links below to donate and see photos of the kids in action!
[IMAGE: Our stalwart team at the 2011 Challenge Walk finish line!]
Door County, Wisconsin is not only known all over the nation for its scenic beauty, but it is also the location for Challenge Walk MS: a 50 mile fundraising event over a three-day weekend. Participants must raise a minimum of $1,500 in addition to putting on some serious road mileage on their shoes. The event is not for the light of heart, but it is also one of the most rewarding fundraising events available from the MS Society.
Team N3kk1d volunteer team captain Steph Ford and Team N3kk1d alumnus Sloth have walked and worked at the event since its inception in 2009. Beginning officially in 2011, the two of them now participate as members of Team LaDorkas. This cadre of spunky women hail from all over the United States and we are honored to partner with them for Challenge Walk MS.
The five-year anniversary of Wisconsin Challenge Walk MS in 2012 resulted in a record numbers of walkers and more than $420,000 raised for MS-related research and programs in a single event. Why does the Challenge Walk keep growing every year? Check out Sloth's "View From a Seatpost" video montage and watch the event in action!
The 2013 Door County Challenge Walk is slated for September 20th through the 22nd. Online registration is already open; join Team LaDorkas and meet the challenge!
[IMAGE: Miss Michigan cheers on our walkers at Walk MS Grand Rapids 2012]
We strongly feel that this is one battle and we are all on the same side... just fighting on different fronts. Events are taking place all over Michigan and beyond with a singular goal: stomping out multiple sclerosis! Some of these events are hosted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and some are simply the brainchild of ordinary citizens with an extraordinary vision. If you have an event you would like us to highlight, please let us know about it; we'll also add it to our online calendar with additional details, time, and location.
Straight out of Hollywood, it's a five-mile MuckFest MS course that will wipe you out, literally. It’s got more thrills, spills, and sustained laughter than any obstacle run in the world! MuckFest is loaded with 20+ steel-constructed obstacles designed to spin, swing and fling you up, down and sideways through the course. And don't forget a post-race party that is full of muddy thrills for the kids, live music, great food, beer, and more. Sound too good to be true? On top of all of this, it's a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society! Check out the website and sign up for the August 3, 2013 Michigan MuckFest MS in Detroit today!
Central Michigan University's Stomp Out MS 5K/10K Run/Walk event occurs in April and benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Chapter. The event features a spaghetti dinner on Friday evening prior to the race.
The Take a Breath for PH and Get Moving for MS is a unique race event in Dewitt, Michigan (just north of Lansing) which takes place on the second weekend in May. Proceeds benefit research for pulmonary hypertension and multiple sclerosis (by way of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society). Half-Marathon, 10K, 5K and Free Kids 1/4 Mile distances are all available. The event features a unique raffle for race participants, an online auction, and a pasta dinner the day prior to the race.
Rick Szczepanski created the Mary J. Szczepanski "Never Give Up" MS Scholarship to honor his mother who courageously fought MS for 38 years. This scholarship honors high school seniors in the Grand Rapids area and beyond who raise money and awareness for multiple sclerosis. Bowl for MS and Miniature Golf for MS are annual charity fundraisers for the "Never Give Up" Scholarship. The 2013 Bowl for MS occurred March 23, 2013 at Lincoln Lanes on Lake Michigan Drive (check out our photos!) and Miniature Golf for MS will occur on June 29, 2013 at the Alpine Avenue Golf Center. Visit Rick's website, www.msscholarship.org, for additional information.
The Twin Lake 5K Walk / Run for Multiple Sclerosis takes place in Twin Lake, a small town located just northeast of Muskegon, Michigan. This mid-summer event raised more than $6,600 in 2012 for the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the University of Michigan’s Department of Neurology. The 2013 event will occur on June 23rd and will benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Registration is online now; visit their website for more details!