Cycle for Sight Passed Our $50,000 Goal for 2021!
You can still donate to Cycle for Sight 2021, and you can see photos from our various team events here!
Cycle for Sight 2021 took place all over Wisconsin! Teams and individuals exercised as they chose – cycling, running, walking, and more – together or separately – while raising funds for vision research. Thank you to our major sponsors for 2021, Opsis Therapeutics, the Princeton Club, and the Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic!
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Cycle for Sight 2020: A New High!
Cycle for Sight 2020 has raised over $65,000 for vision research at UW-Madison, and also set a participant record (close to 300!) The total includes $9,295 given by early donors to Cycle for Sight in November and December, which was matched by Roger and Lynn Van Vreede of Appleton, WI. The event included four teams with 20 or more participants (Kenzi’s Team, Blind Take Off, Delta Gamma, and an incredible team of 40 riders from the UW School of Medicine & Public Health). Multiple other teams crossed the $1000 mark in donations.
We’re grateful to our sponsors and venues: Opsis Therapeutics, the Princeton Club, Cap Fitness, UW Recreation & Wellbeing, and our prize donors, Culver’s Restaurants & Professor Andrea Mason. And to all of our riders and walkers: Once again, you made it a great event which keeps vision research at UW-Madison moving forward!
Pictures from Cycle for Sight 2020!
Thank you for helping to raise funds for vision research at UW-Madison!
Cycle for Sight 2019 again raises more than $50,000 for vision research!
See photos from Cycle for Sight 2019
Cycle for Sight was held on March 9th this year, and drew 200+ people to three venues on the coldest Cycle for Sight day yet. The indoor cycling event brings in funds for vision research at UW-Madison. Thank you to all of our teams and donors for making the ride, once again, a great success. More pictures are on the way, and don’t forget – you can still donate!
We welcome donations to support the ride! All gifts support research into blinding diseases at the McPherson ERI.
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In 2018, 260 participants reached a new Cycle for Sight high
260 people participated this year, raising more than $55,000 for vision research at the McPherson ERI — a new record for the ride.
Kenzi’s Team was once again our top fundraising team in 2018, riding in honor of Kenzi Valentyn. The 2018 ride at the Princeton Club was dedicated to Kenzi.
We are grateful for everyone who participated, and to our wonderful sponsors (see below). Thank you!
Kelsey Tiradani talks about Cycle for Sight 2018
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Cycle for Sight 2017 Draws 250 Participants
McPherson ERI’s 2017 fundraiser raised over $53,000 for research
Cycle for Sight 2017 brought 250 participants to the SERF, Nat, and Princeton Club West on Saturday, March 11th. Riders hopped on spinning bikes to raise funds for vision research at UW-Madison.
Teams that participated in previous years – Kenzi’s Team, Blind Take Off, Out of Sight, the Retinal Research Allstars, Team Tiradani, and others – were back, along with new teams. Teams raised over $53,000 in gifts for vision research this year! We will announce a date for Cycle for Sight 2018 soon, so stay tuned.
Cycle for Sight 2016 Raises $35,000 for Vision Research!
This year’s Cycle for Sight ride, which took place on Saturday, March 12th at the Princeton Club West and the Nat and SERF on the UW-Madison campus, raised $35,000 for vision research at the McPherson Eye Research Institute. Our annual indoor cycling fundraiser was a great opportunity to meet and ride with others in the community vested in the fight against blindness.
Last year’s top fundraising team, Kenzi’s Team, was once again the first place team, raising $6350. Kenzi’s Team had participating riders as far away as Kuala Lumpur. The Blind Take Off team came in second, with $5265 raised; they were followed by the Retinal Research Allstars, with $3230. Two dozen other teams participated, with many of them raising over $500 per team.
We’re very grateful for the support of all our participants and donors, and hope that everyone enjoyed the ride!
Autographed Football & Basketball Winners!
Chip & Christy Kaufman, captains of the Cycle for Sight team Out of Sight, are the winning bidders on both a football signed by UW Badgers football coach Paul Chryst and a basketball signed by UW Badgers basketball coach Greg Gard. For $150 each, the Kaufmans have continued their outstanding participation in Cycle for Sight, and gained two great pieces of UW-Madison memorabilia. The McPherson ERI is grateful for their support.
Christy and Chip Kaufman ride in Cycle for Sight. Chip has a degenerative vision condition, and Christy rides for Chip:
I used to complain about my commute to work when Chip and I lived in Chicago, not realizing how easy I had it. When Chip’s vision deteriorated to the point he had to surrender his drivers’ license, he committed to riding his bike to work regardless of weather conditions. I used to beg him not to ride because I worried for his safety, and I was extremely frustrated with him for refusing to give it up. It took me a while to realize that for Chip, this is not about being stubborn. This is about maintaining independence and showing courage in the face of adversity. It is about maintaining control over a senseless disease. When I hop on my indoor bike to support the University of Wisconsin McPherson Eye Research Institute, I will be envisaging Chip who rides in the wind, snow and rain, proving to our children that you never, ever, ever give up.
Christy and Chip rode with the Out of Sight team this year!
CYCLE FOR SIGHT 2016 PRIZES!
Our generous prize sponsors, Direct Fitness Solutions (partnered with Precor) and Saris Cycling,again donated wonderful prizes for the two top fundraising teams:
Cycle for Sight 2015 Raised $26,000 for Vision Research
Cycle for Sight 2015 raised more than $26,000 for vision research through the McPherson ERI! The grand-prize winning team — Kenzi’s Team, captained by Nancy Valentyn – raised $6,305! Kenzi’s Team rode for an extraordinary young woman, Kenzi Valentyn, who was profiled by Channel 3000 in the lead-up to Cycle for Sight. Their team turnout was memorable, including team members who participated simultaneously in Kuala Lumpur!
Other prizewinning teams included Blind Take Off, the second-place team, which raised a fantastic total of $4,947; Out of Sight, last year’s top fundraising team, which raised $3,325 this year; and the Retinal Research Allstars, which finished in fourth place with $1,930, and ranked as the top McPherson ERI-affiliated lab team.
Vision loss can be devastating. Much of what we learn from the world around us comes through our eyes, and our ability to do many tasks in our daily lives depends on our sight. It’s not surprising that people rate their fear of vision loss second only to their fear of cancer. Millions of Americans suffer from significant visual impairment. In Wisconsin, estimates indicate that as many as 100,000 residents are blind or visually impaired and many more are believed to have eye conditions that may potentially result in permanent vision loss. Leading scientists believe that the major causes of blindness can be cured within the first decades of the 21st century. Please help McPherson ERI investigators advance our knowledge of vision loss by participating in Cycle for Sight!