As a lifelong sports fan — I have been told my father placed a baseball glove in my

crib when I got home from the hospital — I have always believed in the obvious

benefits of sports.

But with the help of my father, who passed away almost 22 years ago, I learned what

might be the most beneficial aspect of sports. It also is the most subtle and most

rewarding.

Often, in response to tragedies, the sports world is quick to respond. High-paid

athletes donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to aid victims. Many professional

athletes set up foundations to help with charitable causes.

For more than 20 years, I have witnessed this outpouring of support on a grassroots

level with bike rides that have benefited those with Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s and

Ulcerative Colitis, cancer and other diseases.

My father was an avid cyclist who suffered a heart attack and died while on his bike,

which was the way he wanted to go. That was in November 2004. A few weeks after

his death, our family learned he had already signed up for a ride the following spring

to benefit MS. He had done numerous such rides, some as a volunteer, some as a

participant and some doing both.

My oldest sister, also an avid cyclist, and I decided to do the 2005 MS ride in his

honor. We had planned for it to be a one-time event. I’ve done it eight times, and participated in rides for Crohn’s and Colitis five times. When you see how much money is raised and meet people affected with these diseases, you realize it’s not just a bike ride.

At the MS rides I participated in, they had a ceremony the evening after the first day of the two-day ride. At one of the ceremonies, a fellow cyclist was wearing a shirt with the slogan, “I ride so others may walk.”

Many participants on these benefit rides aren’t directly affected by the diseases. They participate because they enjoy riding and the camaraderie it offers. If it benefits a cause, all the better.

The Crohn’s and Colitis rides are different for me. My son first showed signs of Crohn’s in 2011, when he was a sophomore in college. He has since had more than a dozen surgeries and spent countless nights in the hospital. The daughter of a college friend also has Crohn’s. My rides to benefit the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation are personal.

Most people don’t know anything about Crohn’s and Colitis. On these rides, it’s nice to discuss our situation with others who know what we are going through. As one participant said, “It’s like a support group, but not. People don’t have to talk about inflammatory bowel disease, but they do anyway in a very relaxed and open community.”

My next ride for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation is July 25, 2026, in Mount Holly, N.J. So far, 25 participants have raised more than $46,000, soliciting donations from regular folks, not multimillionaire athletes.

It is humbling to be part of that. It is inspiring to know we can help others by riding a bike, something we enjoy anyway. If riding helps others in some small way, why wouldn’t we ride?

The cycling community is not alone in this. Through the years, I have seen numerous events in the running community, the triathlon community, the golf community and many more. There is no shortage of similar events on any given weekend. The opportunities are there.

I hope everyone, at least once in their life, has the chance to experience what I do on these rides. Be it as a participant, volunteer or a supporter.

These events, like sports, teach us many of the same things. Riding 100 miles takes teamwork, patience, dedication, perseverance and hard work. The rides reveal character and so much more.

So, on this special day, thanks Dad for teaching me another lesson about life and sports.

To learn more about my 2026 ride or to make a donation, visit https://teamchallenge.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/participants/Bob-Flynn