April 1 Donation Deadline
June 1 Ride
MATT CHERRY’S BIKE RIDE FOR CHARITY
Session approved advertising Matt’s ride on February 15th. Friday, February 29th, Teresa Young had the privilege of interviewing Matthew about his volunteer work to raise money for charity. Excerpts of the interview and information about his ride are provided below.
Donation information is listed at the end.
MATT, WHY THIS CHARITY?
A friend of mine came over Christmas break. While we were hiking I told her I wanted to do something – some volunteer work. She told me about TNT’s training in marathons. They provide a coach, mentors (people who rode marathons before), group activities and assignments to do each week.
The people are absolutely amazing! Who doesn’t want to be surrounded by amazing people? I joined on a whim, and am glad I did. The rides I’ve been doing have been challenging. We’re doing this for a good cause.
RIDE INFORMATION
America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride
100 Miles
Lake Tahoe
Sunday, June 1st
CHARITY TO BENEFIT
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services.
- 823,349 American are living with blood cancers
- Every 5 minutes, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer (135,520 Americans and 2,260 Arizonans diagnosed in 2007)
- Every 10 minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer (53,920 Americans and 910 Arizonans – not including deaths from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission statement is “Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.”
MATT, WHY BIKE and WHY IS THIS SUCH A CHALLENGE?
I’ve done a 60-mile bike ride before, but this is a challenge. Team in Training (TNT) teaches you how the body uses up what you put in. They teach how to keep your body going after it burns everything up. There are days I don’t have it on at all and I’m ready to crash. TNT teaches what to do, like what kind of water intake is good. I’ve pretty much cut sodas and drink lots of water, electrolytes and Gatorade. TNT teaches you how much you need.
They also teach you what to eat before the ride. Before, I would eat a big breakfast of eggs and toast and get sick along the way. Now I eat a bowl of oatmeal, a banana, and get on with the ride. I carry packets of GU, and special gummy SHOT BLOCKS that provide the right kind of power boost along the way.
At the end of the ride I now walk around a couple of minutes to get the blood circulating through my body, or I’ll crash. I ate a buffet afterwards, but I have learned to eat only a little bit and then eat more later.
I’m a novice. I’ve participated in a triathlon (running/biking/swimming), but this is the first for such a long marathon.
MATT, HOW DOES A BIKE RIDE QUALIFY AS VOLUNTEERISM and WHAT HAS IT DONE FOR YOU?
Each member of our team has a certain patient we’re biking for. We want to assist them in their patient care.
It feels good to do something that doesn’t benefit me; it benefits someone else. Since I was in youth group, I haven’t felt this way. In youth group, under Brett and Deane’s leadership, we sorted clothes at Goodwill and handed out presents for Angel Tree. It was a good feeling of reaching outside of myself. There’s nothing like seeing a smile you put on someone else’s face!
For a while, I took everything for granted. It was all about me. I felt something was missing. Now I feel I’m on the right path.
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I actually never thought of biking. I only started biking 6-8 months ago. A good buddy of mine joined the fire department and he is an avid cyclist. He talked me into diving right in. I bought a super expensive bike. I love it! It’s more of a love/hate relationship. My buddy pushes me to my absolute limits which, at times, make me hate it. I’m wondering, “Can I meet it? Can I do it?” Then, when I got to the end result, I was glad I did.
It’s mellowed me out. It centers me and makes me stop and take a look at things. Before, I’d react. Now I am able to say, “Okay.” I feel I’m in a better place. I feel like now I’m slowing down to let things happen rather than rushing around to make things happen. While riding, at this stage as a novice, I’m usually thinking, “Am I going to make it? Is my friend ever going to get tired? Will I catch up?” I often ride my problems out. It is time for me to think through things… things about work, things about myself. I’ve become more of a philosopher. I think more deeply about things. As a novice, I’m thinking about how I’m going to better myself with this [training] and how will this [training] help me in the future? I also notice how incredibly happy the people around me are. The scenery is so enjoyable, too. Both are inspiring!
MATT, LET’S GET PERSONAL. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR FAITH AND YOUR DREAMS.
I’m 26 years old. I graduated in 2000 from Marcos DeNiza High School in Tempe. I attended two straight years at Mesa Community College and continue to take interesting courses from there. For the past five years I have worked for TrackDown, Inc., first as a runner and now as a paper server.
I’ve been with this church for close to twenty years. I’ve definitely had my ups and downs. True as a child and true today, very few people my age go here. Yet, everything brings me back here, because of the people. I’ve never seen the fellowship we have here. Yes, I have attended some churches with powerful messages, but people hear the Word then scatter. Here we stay together and discuss what was said.
It’s more of a family here. I’ve always respected that about the church. It makes me want to be a really good person. There’s always someone here I can turn to when I’m down. I’ve felt I have been struggling, but now I feel I’m ready to build even more.
Music is a passion of mine. I enjoy the opportunities to sing with praise team and choir. It helps to express what I’m feeling and to pay my respects to God.
My dream changes all the time. My dreams are for my family not to have to worry, to take care of my parents, and to build a family of my own. I can’t wait to find the woman I should spend the rest of my life with and make my own family! My mother always exhorted, “Do not settle; Wait!” I’m waiting.
I plan to stay in Arizona, probably in the Valley, though I’d love to have a place in Sedona (the most peaceful place I’ve ever been). I love Arizona SO much. I hike Camelback on a weekly basis. I love to look around. We live in this amazing state! I kick myself for just now taking advantage of this. I’m definitely becoming an outdoorsman – no complaints!
MORE ABOUT TNT: TEAM IN TRAINING
Team in Training is the largest endurance sports training program in the world which provides me with four months of intensive training and assistance:
- Comprehensive training program
- Professional advice on nutrition, injury prevention and other related topics
- Fundraising materials & support
Team in Training, in exchange for my training and support, helps raise money toward finding a cure for blood cancers like leukemia – the No. 1 disease killer of children – and lymphoma.
MATT, HOW CAN WE DONATE AND WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?
Donations are tax-deductible. Donations are asked to be in by April 1, 2008. I will gladly accept donations after April 1; however, the sooner I meet my fund-raising goal, the better I can focus my energy on preparing for the ride. There are two ways one can donate.
1.) Go to my personal Matthew Cherry TNT training page and click on “donate.”
http://www.active.com/donate/tntdms/tntdmsMcherry
2.) Write a check to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
A. This check can be placed inside an envelope with MATT CHERRY written on it and put in the offering plate; or
B. This check can be mailed to Historic First Presbyterian Church, attn: Matt Cherry, 402 W. Monroe, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
Every penny counts |