Time is running out to buy a raffle ticket to win a custom Pereira mountain bike to help Jeff Bates and his family. You can find out more and buy a ticket here: http://jeffbatesmf.org/?q=node%2F45
Tickets are available until 5-11-11 until noon MST.
Jeff Bates Melanoma Foundation – Local Rider, Mechanic and all-round great guy needs our help
I first met Jeff Bates while working as a bike mechanic at the Wild Rose here in SLC. Jeff has a long standing history in the Salt Lake mountain bike community. He’s a former State Champion and all around hard hitter when it comes to all things bicycle….i.e.. the guy can drop you at will. My background was mainly in road racing but soon after joining “the posse” at the Rose, I was initiated into the world of mountain bike riding….by, among others, Jeff Bates. The induction wasn’t pleasant at times meaning that every time I rode with the guy it was 5 hours of riding at my maximum, but all in all, it made me a better person. Jeff made me a better person. Stories like this are abound in our little group….how Jeff has touched our lives in one way or another.
A few years ago, Jeff was diagnosed with cancer, melanoma. It came as quite a surprise to all of us…not many having a brush with this disease so we all really didn’t know what to think. After his surgery and chemo/radiation sessions, we got the picture. The guy was put into the biggest pain cave you can imagine. We watched as the treatment killed him over and over. When he came back from that hell, we were duly impressed…..I mean the guy was riding again and crushing it. Then, just like that, it was over..he was clean. Or so we thought.
This past December brought bad news. Not feeling quite right, Jeff went in for a check up and found out that the cancer had returned and, this time with a vengeance, spreading to other places in his body. He has entered into hell again…and will continue this fight until the beast is slain.
The news of Jeff’s malady filtered slowly through his group of friends. Probably due to its intensely personal nature. But once the news reached all of us we felt a need to spring into action to try to help, what to many of us is, the best guy around. So…we have begun the process to help Jeff in any way we can. We’ve started a campaign to assist Jeff and his wife, Maria and son, Henry.
We are asking the greater “posse” of Salt Lake mountain bikers, snow boarders, anglers and outdoor recreationalists to go to our website, <http://www.slctourdefriends.org>www.slctourdefriends.org or FaceBook page, Jeff Bates Melanoma Foundation and donate what you can to help Jeff in his time of need. The website will detail upcoming events (an online auction, a benefit concert, a vintage mountian bike ride) as they become organized.
If you know someone with cancer then you know how important it is to help with this project. Thanks.
