Austin Chronicle – September 1, 2006
After a Fashion
by Stephen MacMillan Moser
NONPROFITING
I went to the Texas 4000 Tribute, Touching Lives: Austin to Alaska (www.texas4000.org) at the Austin Music Hall last Saturday because Kimberly Thomsen insisted. And even though I knew nothing about the event or the cause, I was really blown away by it. Of course I go to charity benefits all the time, and they're always for good causes, but this one really touched me. The Texas 4000 for Cancer is an annual bicycle ride from Austin to Anchorage, Ala. (!), in which riders, whose lives and loves have been touched by cancer in varying ways, raise money to help find a cure. It's actually about 4,600 miles to Anchorage, and the 43 riders in this year's event rode 60-70 miles a day through all kinds of weather and terrain. Honestly, I get exhausted driving my car across town, so I can't imagine riding a bike that far. Watching the video about the ride and the reasons for it had me weeping at my table like a baby. My date, Maureen Staloch, had to hold my hand, and I'm sure that if I'd been wearing mascara, it would have been all over my face. Sponsored by Sense Corp and company co-founder Brian Garsson, the ride attempted to raise $240,000 but actually beat that amount by more than $35,000, every penny of which went to cancer research. Whose life hasn't been touched by cancer? Mine has, and the event and the ride brought this home. I made a point of talking to as many of the riders as I could to tell them that I thought they were such heroes for doing what they did. Then we all had a great time with Trish Murphy, Johnny Goudie, and the K-Tel Hit Machine, who are certainly the hottest party band around here. Interestingly enough, the smoking area outside was the least crowded I'd ever seen it, but then again, it was a benefit for cancer…
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