Bigger than Bronze

Hey folks, Michael here. If I can pry your eyes away from the looming three day weekend, as enticing as that is - I want to have you focused on the weekend one week beyond Memorial Day. That, if you don't have your calendar handy, would be the weekend of June 1 & 2.

You see, Saturday the 1st is the Third Annual Paper Route Ride. Another ride, you say? There is a ride every weekend, you say. What's the big deal, you say?

Well, I say, this one is different. Did you ever dream of doing something, anything, bigger? For most people, life gets in the way or, maybe, it is a deficiency of a necessary level of talent. Maybe it is neither of those, maybe it is one of those things that no one likes to admit to - a certain lack of chutzpah, confidence, balls, resolve, dedication. Or risk aversion.

More likely than not, though, the thing that gets in the way is likely (at least in part) to be of a financial nature. Who knows how many dreams have been derailed by a lack of money.

Now, if you wanted to help someone do something bigger you would probably fail with those things like chutzpah, or genes. Finances, on the other hand? That just might be in reach.

Many of you already know about a couple of our local athletes - Samantha Bosco and Jenna Rollman - for whom the Paper Route Ride was created. Both have been aiming for bigger things, winning bigger things, and then resetting their goals even bigger.

Last week Jenna (that is her on the right in the photo above) entered her first Para-Cycling World Cup race, in Belgium, where she won the bronze medal for 3rd place. Yes, Third Place in her first international event. Big? Big! Now Jenna, and Samantha (who has already found international racing success) are aiming even bigger - Tokyo Olympics bigger. 

Most of us will never know the sensation of surmounting the podium in a big international competition because we will never do it. Though we may never do it, we can know some satisfaction, by contributing to the cause, helping someone else do it.

The Paper Route Ride; I won't be able to participate this year, but don't let that stop you. When Sam, and / or Jenna accept their Gold Medal, their Silver, or maybe just their Bronze, you can tell people "I know her," and tell yourself "in a small way I helped her get there." In that sense, even a small contribution is pretty big.