Bicyclists raise $4.3M for 44th Annual Bike MS: City to Shore Ride 2023
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- More than 4,000 bicyclists embarked on the 75 to 100 mile trek down the shore to Ocean City, N.J. to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis early Saturday morning.
The riders were set to take off at Cherry Hill's Woodcrest PATCO station Saturday morning at around 6:30 a.m. Participants could opt to ride a shorter distance from Hammonton and Egg Harbor City down to the same finish line in Ocean City.
The 44th annual Bike MS: City to Shore Ride 2023, orchestrated by the National MS Society, is the second biggest fundraiser for MS research and support systems in the entire world.
Kevin Moffitt, who serves as the president of the National MS Society's Greater Delaware Valley chapter said the choice to have riders cross the finish line at the Jersey Shore was a no brainer for its founders.
"People who founded this ride decided we want to do a bike ride to raise money for people living with MS and where do people want to ride to more than anywhere else? Ocean City, N.J.," Moffitt said.
For Moffitt, raising awareness for MS is a personal cause.
"I have a couple of friends who were diagnosed with MS. One who actually died from the complications of MS, which is rare. But I have to tell you that every time I'm out at this event -- I've worked here for 18 years -- I think of him and his family, and the fact that we're actually doing something about it."
Riders raised more than $4.3 million this year. The funds are used by the National MS Society to help find the cause and cure for the unpredictable, neurological disease.