Despite pandemic, virtual cycling fundraiser comes up with $550K for lung health
Courtesy / Trek Across Maine
Eva McKenna, 9, Kelsey Glynn, 8 and her father, Greg Glynn of Augusta, take a photo together during a June 20 ride on the Kennebec River Rail Trail, as part of this year's virtual Trek Across Maine.
The American Lung Association’s largest U.S. fundraising event refused to let the pandemic stop its participants from raising money for an important cause.
This year's Trek Across Maine, conducted virtually for the first time, raised $550,000 to support COVID-19 research and lung health. The 36th annual cycling trip drew 1,261 participants from 48 states.
“In a unique way it challenged us all to push the envelope and get creative,” said Kim Chamard, senior manager of development for the American Lung Association of Maine. “It certainly allowed people who might have considered participating in the past to give it a try.”
Typically held over Father’s Day weekend, Trek Across Maine is a three-day, 180-mile ride across the midcoast and central Maine. The ride usually begins in Brunswick, and then winds through Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville, often spurring business and community events along the way.
Because of public health concerns, organizers of the 2020 fundraiser asked participants to make their own treks and then share the experience with photos and online reports. The rides spanned from April 13 to June 30, and riders ranged from age 7 to 84.
Since the event’s inception in 1985, Trek Across Maine has raised over $30 million for the American Lung Association. In last year's in-person trek, 1,675 riders raised $1.3 million for lung disease education, research and advocacy.
The 2021 Trek Across Maine already has over 250 registrants who hope the event is in-person once again.
“When COVID-19 hit, we knew our staff and volunteers would need to shift gears to pull off this virtual event in less than three months,” said Jeff Seyler, chief division officer of the American Lung Association. “This year's event was a huge success despite unforeseen circumstances. We certainly weren't going to let a lung-related virus stop our event, so we all came together in the spirit of the Trek.”
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