Team Big City Mountaineers Races For A Cause
Posted on 07/13/09 2:41 PM| by Kraig
Like most teams preparing for Primal Quest Badlands presented by SPOT, Team Big City Mountaineers is looking forward to the challenges that await them in South Dakota. As rookies to Primal Quest, they’ve set their goals on completing the race while competing at a high level, while still demonstrating their sportmanship along the way. Off the course however, they’ve set their goals much higher.
As their name implies, Team BCM has partnered with the Big City Mountaineers, an outstanding non-profit organization that is focused on assisting urban youth by introducing them to a variety of outdoor adventures and activities. In the process, these kids see a boost to their self-esteem, while receiving a greater understanding of their impact on the environment, and the lives of others around them. The team hopes to raise awarness and funds for BCM through their adventure racing efforts.
Big City Mountaineers has a unique approach to their fund raising efforts, having launched a program called Summit For Someone, in conjunction with Backpacker Magazine, in which particpants select from a number of guided mountain climbs throughout North America and by gaining sponsors to their climbs, they in turn raise funds for BCM.
As if racing for their team sponsor wasn’t enough of an incentive, Team BCM member Angela Woodland has an even bigger reason for wanting to compete in Primal Quest. Her husband Kevin suffers from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and she is dedicating her PQ experience to him.
Before being afflicted with ALS, Kevin was quite an adventurer himself, running, cycling, skiing and paddling throughout the U.S. But that terrible disase has prevented him from doing the things he once loved, and Angela says that one of his few regrets is that he never had the opportunity to race in Primal Quest or a similar adventure race. Because of that, she will race for him, and Kevin will be cheering her on all the way.
Good luck to Team Big City Mountineers both in the Badlands and their other efforts. We’ll see you in South Dakota in just a few weeks.
