Frequently Asked Questions …

Cyclists of all ages may participate in the tours. Cyclists under 18 must have a waiver signed by an adult.

A special rate is available for families for the one-day tours (Niagara and Toronto). For 2009, the family rate is: $20 registration per adult, $250 fundraising minimum and $5 registration per child under 14, $50 fundraising minimum. The family rate does not include accommodations.

The MS Society will transport your luggage from Day 1 Start to Day 1 Finish, and back again the following morning. You can claim your luggage upon arrival at both locations.

Yes! We are always looking for volunteers to help out with all aspects of the RONA MS Bike Tours. Visit our volunteer page to find a volunteer position that interests you.

TeamMS is a program promoting community involvement that is being implemented in communities and companies of all sizes across Canada! At the community level, it brings family, friends, relatives and neighbours together in a joint effort to support the local community. At the corporate level, it enables business associates to create teams with their co-workers, families, friends, suppliers, distributors, and participate in fun-filled events.

All Teams have a minimum requirement of 3 members plus a Team Captain to be eligible for specific TeamMS rewards, prizes, incentives and awards. There is no maximum to team sizes.

All teams have a Team Captain who is the main contact person with team members. The Team Captain liaises with the MS Society for registration, pre-event, event day and post-event day activities.

As the team leader, you will establish recruitment and fundraising goals and post them on your team fundraising page. The page is easy to create and personalize. Your fundraising page will help to promote your fundraising initiatives and be the perfect vehicle for providing regular updates with your team members.

There are resource materials available online. MS staff are also available to help.

Teambuilding will develop teamwork, unity and pride as you work towards a common goal ... joining in the fight to end MS. Participating as a Team will create a fun, social opportunity that promotes health, fitness and social well-being. And the larger your team, the more stories you will share!

In addition to creating a truly memorable event because you are surrounded by people you have selected to become members of your Team, the MS Society has special incentives to reward you for taking a leadership role. These include:

• Team photo on event day
• TeamMS special event day awards
• Team Captain gift
• TeamMS Village

 

Every participant needs to pay the registration fee and raise a minimum of $250. The $250 pledge or proof of pledges must be submitted before the event or on the morning of the Tour.

If a participant does not have the minimum pledge, he/she must hand in a cheque or a credit card imprint. The participant has three weeks after the event to raise pledges. The cheque/credit card will only be processed if the pledges are not received by the deadline.

When registering online, you can choose your fundraising goal. This goal will appear on emails that are sent out requesting pledges.

The goal can be changed in the “Fundraising” Tab after signing in to your online account. Alternatively, you can call the MS Society and request that it be changed in our records.

Tax receipts are automatically generated and emailed to online donors.

Tax receipts are automatically issued for donations that are $20 and higher. A complete mailing address must be provided. Tax receipts will be issued for donations under $20 if requested on the pledge sheet. All tax receipts will be mailed within five months of the tours.

Participants need to find their own way to the Start/Finish locations.

Maps and directions are available in the Cyclist Handbook.

Free parking is available at all Start/Finish locations. However, join our Facebook Discussion Group to link up with other riders interested in carpooling.

Prizes are received by filling in your prize request on the “prize request” portion of the pledge envelopes. Pledge envelopes are mailed out as a part of the registration packages that you will receive after you register for a Tour. You can also get them at the Bike Tours, when handing in pledges.

Even when pledges are processed online the pledge envelope should be filled in and handed on the day of the Bike Tour, or during pre check-in. Please ensure the prize request section is filled out.

Prizes will be mailed in October.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord. The disease attacks the protective myelin covering of the central nervous system, causing inflammation and often destroying the myelin in patches and at times the nerve fibres (axons) themselves. In its most common form, MS has well defined attacks followed by complete or partial recovery. The severity of MS, progression and specific symptoms cannot be predicted at the time of diagnosis.

Multiple sclerosis can occur at any age. It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 to 40, when people are finishing school and starting careers and families. It can make its first appearance in young children and in older adults. MS is more than three times as likely to occur in women than in men and is seen most commonly in people of northern European background.

MS symptoms are unpredictable and vary greatly from person to person. Symptoms may include: vision disturbances such as double or blurred vision; extreme fatigue; loss of balance; problems with coordination; pain; depression; stiffness of muscles; speech problems; bladder and bowel problems; short-term memory problems, and even partial or complete paralysis. Please keep in mind, not all people with MS will experience all symptoms and often the symptoms will improve during periods of remission.

We do not know as yet what causes MS. Most researchers believe that MS is an autoimmune disease. For reasons that are still unclear, the body’s immune system malfunctions and starts attacking the myelin which protects the central nervous system. There is some evidence that a common virus may trigger MS, and that certain people are more susceptible to developing MS because of genetic factors. There is no evidence, however, that MS is a directly inherited disease. A number of genes are probably involved in making some people more susceptible to MS.

An estimated 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians have MS. Prevalence rates range from 240 cases of MS per 100,000 population to 350 per 100,000 across the country. Canada is a high-risk area for the disease. Multiple Sclerosis occurs more often in countries like Canada that are further away from the equator. The MS Society estimates that approximately 1,000 new cases of MS are diagnosed each year, which means three more people are diagnosed with MS everyday in Canada.