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Pedaling to benefit local hospice services

Caitlin_M_Elsaesser@TimesRecord.Com

08/18/2008

Kristen Poeraatmadja raised more than $2,200 in pledges for the Maine Hospice Event bike ride.

BRUNSWICK — Kristen Poeraatmadja is a hospice volunteer who will soon be serving hospice in a new way.

Poeraatmadja, a Bowdoinham resident, has signed up for the first time to bike 25 miles as part of a fundraiser for hospice services and memorial ride. She's not doing badly — already, she has secured the highest number of pledges at $2,200.

Kristen may be nervous about the bike ride, but she feels passionate about hospice's mission. She said providing hospice care is her calling and her passion.

On Saturday, riders and walkers from around Maine will participate in the Maine hospice fundraiser.

This event started 22 years ago when Tom Legare of Brunswick and his friends Andy Pietkiewcz and Mickey Cote rode 200 miles to raise money to support cancer research. More recently, hospice took over the event.

All pledged funds are donated to the Maine Hospice Council and Hospice Volunteers in Mid Coast Maine. Betsy Elder, executive director of Hospice Volunteers, said the two serve different roles. Maine Hospice Council is a state-wide organization dedicated to improving end-of-life care through education and advocacy, whereas Hospice Volunteers is an independent, freestanding organization that provides direct-service hospice and bereavement services.

Elder said that Hospice Volunteers provide a unique nonmedical service to the area. All hospice service providers are volunteer. The services are free and available to anyone who has decided to stop curative measures for a terminal condition.

"Hospice allows people to die in their own homes on their own terms," said Elder, adding that hospice is "about living well, not about the end."

Elder said that this event is vital to the Hospice Volunteers' operations.

"We rely on fundraising and donations to persist," she said, adding that this year, the event is their biggest fundraiser.

Registration and home base will open Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the Gazebo on Maine Street in Brunswick. This year's event features three distances: 25, 50 and 75 miles. The Blues Buzzards will perform at 3 p.m. at home base and lunch will be served to all participants. The public is invited to come listen to the band and gather information about hospice, advance directives, and end-of-life care support services.

Ride registration opens at 7:30 a.m., for 50- and 75-mile riders and 9:30 a.m. for 25-mile riders. Pre-registration is not required. Please call the Maine Hospice Council or visit its Web site for information about registration fees and pledge minimums.

The ride is a fully supported ride with backup vehicles, cycle mechanics, radio communication and rest stops. More information, registration and pledge forms are available from the Maine Hospice Council.

Online donations can be made at the Web site http://www.mainehospicecouncil.org/ and will be split between Hospice Volunteers and Maine Hospice Council.

Call 800-438-5963 or visit the Web site www.MaineHospiceCouncil.org/dmmr/.

Snow policy: If the Brunswick schools are closed, the Hospice Center is closed and all programs are cancelled

All services provided by CHANS Hospice Volunteers are free. We appreciate and use individuals, towns and businesses contributions as well as memorial donations and bequests to support the free services that we provide.