The Journey of a Thousand Smiles Begins With One Pedal

Ormond Beach, Fla. (Sept. 17, 2014) – Jerry is a nine-year-old boy who’s required to trade in playtime for chemotherapy sessions and he’s all-too-familiar with the sacrifices required of a pediatric cancer patient. But you wouldn’t know it if you saw him on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 6 at Camp Boggy Creek’s 4th Annual Challenge Ride event in Eustis, Florida, where every attendee had a reason to smile. Although the forecast called for rain that day, the weather held off just long enough for cyclists to cross the finish line, and the 232-acre camp was filled with high-energy participants and supporters from local organizations.

 The Challenge Ride raises funds for Camp Boggy Creek, a facility that’s specifically designed and equipped to provide transformational camping experiences for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. More than 400 bicyclists attended the event, and campers, like Jerry, were onsite to greet attendees and share their story. The Challenge Ride event raised $348,365—surpassing Camp Boggy Creek’s fundraising goal of $250,000.

 Camp Boggy Creek operates at no charge to its campers, and the organization is fully funded by donations. To encourage participation and increase awareness of the event, and give supporters a better understanding of the organization’s mission, Camp Boggy Creek designated “camp champions” to corporate sponsors of the Challenge Ride. Jerry was the camp champion for Security First Insurance, an Ormond Beach-based Florida homeowners insurance company and Challenge Ride “Love” sponsor. As part of Security First Insurance’s sponsorship, employees across various departments, including its chief operating officer, participated in the event. The company challenges other organizations to participate in the Challenge Ride next year to help even more children benefit from the good services provided by Camp Boggy Creek.