Tuesday, May 13, 2014

FAVORITE YOUNG MAN & STEPH WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT DIABETES

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

Today Favorite Young Man and his lovely lady, Steph, want to talk to you about their fundraising efforts on behalf of the American Diabetes Association.


Take it away, you two:

Hi! Steph here. I love to ride my bicycle. Nothing else is like it. When you're in a car, you're separated from the world. When you're on your bike, you're part of everything, with the wind blowing in your hair. I can smell the flowers and the trees. I also like riding my bike because I'm an environmentalist. I just completed two environmental science degrees.

I organized Sunday bike rides in Jacksonville, Florida, because it raises cycling awareness. We all follow the rules and ride safely. It also increases our sense of community.

This tall, handsome man showed up for a bike ride one week. I knew I was done looking as soon as I saw him. I'd never thought before, He's the one. Now we don't have to ride solo ever again. We ride together, and I told him I would follow him anywhere. 

No wonder Janie Junebug calls him "Favorite Young Man" instead of Dave. That's his name, but I call him "Babe".

Now, we're preparing to ride in The American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure, a series of fundraising cycling events held in 40 states. Ours will be a 100-mile bike ride throughout Jacksonville. It's this Saturday, May 17th. The money we raise from sponsors will all go to diabetes research.

Dave and I have friends and family members affected by diabetes. A good friend of mine had pancreatic cancer. As he was going through the chemo, he was too sick to get out of bed for his shot of insulin. So diabetes killed him while he was on the way to recovering from cancer.

Dave wants to say something to you now. 

Favorite Young Man here. My Uncle Howard (my mom's brother-in-law) died recently because of heart problems, but he also spent many years suffering from diabetes. For about the last 15 years of his life, he couldn't feel his feet. One time he hurt his foot, but he didn't know it. His job involved a lot of walking. People shouldn't have to walk around on feet they can't feel. I'm going to ride this 100 miles in my Uncle Howard's honor.

Steph and Dave together now:

We ride because we are proud to do our part to Stop Diabetes. We decided to team up to change the future and make a positive impact on the lives of those who are affected by diabetes. We are committed to ride and raise money in this inspirational event, not only because 26 million people in the United States have diabetes, but because we personally know some of them, and want to do something about it.

Through our hard work, we CAN make a difference in the fight for a cure! We can raise awareness through cycling, and raise funds to support the effort. The bicycling community knows all too well the ups and downs when it comes to health. This ride will just further our initiatives to have a happy, healthy, and loving community of people. We are the future!

We are getting on our bikes, raising funds, and supporting this great cause!! Our bicycling community is part of a larger community . . . so we want to show our support and love to those living with diabetes.

Will you please help us? You can make a donation at 
http://main.diabetes.org/goto/StephMH or

http://main.diabetes.org/goto/DaveLH

Thanks for helping us!

Dave and Steph

Janie Junebug back with you again. I donated $100, and Willy Dunne Wooters has pledged to do the same. Whether you can give the $5 minimum or $100 and send your positive thoughts, prayers, and love to Steph and Dave, you know I appreciate it.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

36 comments:

  1. Thank you so much, we really do appreciate it!

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    1. I'm happy to be your blog hostess any time.

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  2. Look at how polite she is, Gentle Readers. She's a keeper.

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  3. my son (in CT) and i both have diabetes. this is the 2nd year he and his wife are doing this ride!

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  4. Such a worthy cause, and I'm not just saying so because I happen to be a diabetic.

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    1. I'm sorry you have diabetes, Stephen. I don't think I knew that about you. Perhaps I knew at one time and forgot and now I know again and will forget so you can tell me again in the future.

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  5. The song is stuck in my head now. Fortunately, I love Queen. I'll be over to donate some bucks. If you'd stuck a Black-Eyed Peas song in my head, there would have been negative consequences.

    -andi

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    1. What song? I like Queen, but I don't know what you're talking about. I think this is the first time we haven't connected on a reference. It's all downhill now. Thank you for donating.

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    2. I love (want) to ride my bicycle. I love (want) to ride my bike.

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    3. I know the song now. It's hard to forget it, too.

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  6. Count me in Jane. I just tossed in $20 for this great cause.
    Rick

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    1. I lurve you, Rick Watson. I kin always count on you.

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  7. Aww, what a darling guest post -- you two make a great team. (and nooow I understand why reading my first book might've been awkward for Dave's mom, heh).

    I have happily donated to Team Steph. This is a great cause. I'm sure we all know someone dealing with diabetes. For me it's my mom, a niece & a nephew. So ride on Steph & Dave and have a blast while you're doing it!

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    1. Thank you, Veb. Didn't they write a nice post? If you click on the link to donate to Dave, you'll see his page. It has a very nice photo of him. Mommy is proud.

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  8. What an amazing cause. I'm definitely impressed. As for biking--I hopped on a bicycle 15 years or so ago and they're wrong. Once you learn to ride a bicycle, you definitely CAN forget how. It was completely awkward and I was terrified. I never did feel comfortable on that thing. Although I can rock a stationary bike!

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    1. I, too, forgot how to ride a bicycle. At least I didn't forget how to have sex.

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  9. This is terrific, and I just made a donation. Easy Peasy, and what a wonderful thing for them to do. I hope everyone who reads this makes some kind of donation.

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    1. Thank you, Shelly. You're such a sweetheart.

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  10. Everyone I know who is over 50 has diabetes. I am trying my best to avoid diabetes or at least giving lip service about my avoiding it. My mother and father were both borderline diabetics. But, cancer killed them first.

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    1. I'd rather not have diabetes or cancer or anything else except lots of love. I found out today that I have "runner's knee".

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  11. I'm happy to help. I just made a donation. Favorite Young Man is doing a good thing!

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  12. Good job Steph and Dave, and a worthy cause. I think there are a lot of people who consider diabetes a "fat person" disease and don't realize how widespread and damading it is.

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    1. When I was in the fourth grade my best friend had diabetes. She was skinny as could be. Diabetes can smack the crap out of anyone.

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  13. The song by Queen is "bicycle" and in "I want to ride my bicycle, Bicycle.... BICYCLE." :) And now it's stuck in my head...

    ....much like my sister's insulin is stuck in her body for her Type 1 and my metaformin for my type 2... count me in, just as soon as I find my wallet...

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    1. I swear I don't know that song. I'll try to remember to look for it on YouTube. Thanks so much for your help.

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  14. Thanks for doing your homework, FYM. That's a neato picture. You guys are cute.

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    1. Aren't they adorable together with their red hair? You can't really see their hair in the photo, but trust me, they are cute as can be. They did a bike race together and called themselves The Whiskey Gingers.

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  15. They seem to be soulmates. Love the picture. And what a good cause. Diabetes has been increasing in children, too. I wish them luck and good weather. :)

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    1. It's not supposed to rain this weekend, but it will probably be pretty hot.

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  16. Tim (hubby) doesn't get why I have to take care of my feet because I have diabetes or how it can affect ones eyesight or heart he just doesn't get it I tell him he doesn't have to get it he just has to know the why he just has to get the I will have to look after my eyes, heart and feet because of diabetes

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  17. Aww Steph and Favorite Young Man, you two are adorable and awesome for taking taking this cause and riding with it. :P

    Diabetes runs in my family as well so let me go clicky and help out. It was nice "meeting" you both! :)

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    1. You are such a sweetie. Thank you.

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    2. Ugh, just delete that extra "taking" for me, will you? Grrrr

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