An excerpt from Bill Overend’s WFT 2014 Speech

Your neighbour and mine Thomas Mueller was diagnosed while he was still three and he was seven years old when he lost his fight September 30, 2011.

I will never forget the moment I had to tell that news to my own boy and our tears as we drove to hockey practice not knowing what to do except going about our lives and pretending that everything was still the same.

Time passes and you get over certain things. And I need to tell you that every fall a couple of things happen to prove that his spirit is alive and well.

First off his school stages a Terry Fox Run every September, and, three years later, the Grade 5/6s are still writing on their stickers that they are running for Thomas.

Thomas was an exceptionally high-energy boy and I think all those mentions of him rouse his spirit in all of us.

Then, about a week ago, as I was out for a run myself, all these pictures of him began to enter my head. It happened up on Crescent Heights and it was like he was right alongside me, and I realized I was crying while I was running.

As we jogged, he pointed out his alternative future – what it would have been like had he beaten neuroblastoma.

He still loves his Lego collection, still loves Harry Potter too, but, after all, he would be 10 now and things would be a little different:

• He might be in Amy Ward’s Gr 5/6 class at the school, alongside all his pals.
• He would have built a robotics collection and love it just as much as his Lego now.
• He would be big into karate, or minor hockey, he’s Atom age now, he would have been getting a lot bigger as he left neuroblastoma in the dust and he would be wanting them to let bodychecking back in because he so loves the physical stuff.
• He wouldn’t even have to tell me he’d be into Minecraft and playing a lot of XBOX til 2 in the morning on sleepovers with his friends.
• He would NOT YET have any interest in kissing a girl!
• But he would know very clearly what he was going to do when he grew up:
o Go to medical school and then help Dr. Beaudry find a cure for all the rest of these childhood cancers.
o Marry a girl who is just as beautiful (but maybe not quite as crazy) as his sister.
o Have his own kids and eventually grandkids and love them as much as Phil and Di love him.

And then like the leaves that whirl and swirl this time of year, he is off, and I’m left on the path with only lyrics in my head, and this year (with apologies to iSH and Stef Lang), they were:

Nothing is stopping me now
Ain’t nothing bringing me down
And I don’t care what they say
Can’t nobody get in my way

This life is short so I’m seizing the day

Ain’t counting the days
But I’m making the days count

I’m rollin’, rollin’, rollin’
Down the road, there ain’t no stopping me
Can’t put nothing in my way
I’m a keep rollin’ to a brighter day

For Thomas and for ourselves, now it’s time to seize that brighter day: let’s stand tall and walk strong.

-Bill Overend

Thanks Everyone!

We would like to send out our most heartfelt thank you’s to all of the sponsors, volunteers and participants who made the fourth annual Walk for Thomas such a success. The Thomas Mueller Phage Display Project is made possible by all of you and we are so thankful you have joined us on the road to find a cure.

-Team Peloton 65

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Hi Everyone,

The date has been set for the 4th Annual Walk for Thomas – please keep the morning of Sunday October 5th, 2014 open!  Watch the Peloton 65 site, https://peloton65.com/ and our Facebook page for more event details and updates.  The walk will be held at Queen Elizabeth School in West Hillhurst, Calgary (402 – 18 St NW).  We were overwhelmed by the generous outpouring of participants last year, and had an unexpected 350+ participants.

 THE WALK

The morning of October 5th will go as follows:

·         9:30am Wake-Up Refreshments

·         10:00am Welcome and Warm-up

·         10:15am Depart for 3km Walk

·         11:00am BBQ (back at the school)

We will have Walk for Thomas merchandise for sale and will also be accepting donations at the event. If you cannot make the event and still wish to donate, please feel free to visit the donation page at Peloton65.com. All funds raised at the event support The Thomas Mueller Phage Display project, an innovative project being co-led by Dr. Paul Beaudry at the University of Calgary and Dr. David Kaplan at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

VOLUNTEERS

This amazing event would not be possible without some equally amazing volunteers.  If you are interested in helping out this year, we would love to have your support.  There are a wide variety of ways to get involved:

  • Route Marshalls– Route Marshalls will be placed along the route to keep people moving and ensure that our walkers are safe.
  • Food Crew – From set up to prep to cooking burgers, there will be lots to do!
  • Registration Table – Greet walkers as they arrive, register participants, hand out event brochures/route map and provide a run down to the day’s event.
  • Merchandise and Donations Table – Manage merchandise and cash sales.  Collect and manage donations.
  • Event Set Up Crew – Arrive early before the event to help with the set-up of chairs/tables, the organizing of the various stations, accept deliveries and work with on-site vendors.
  • Clean Up Crew – Hang out after the walk to help us pack it all up!
  • First Aid Station – If you are qualified and would like to help out in this area, please let me know.

If you have any questions about the event or any of the listed positions, please contact Julie Walyuchow.  Feel free to forward this information along to anyone else you think might be interested.

We hope for another special Walk; where people will gather to remember Thomas and to unite in the fight against neuroblastoma.

-Team Peleton 65

Bikes are Tuned!

We have had some great feedback from our event on Saturday! But an event like this would not have been possible without the sponsors who helped make it happen and we want to send out heartfelt thank you’s to Bow Cycle North, Cyclepath Calgary and Pedalheads Calgary.

Thank you again to those who came down, the volunteers who put the event together and those who wish they could make it but sent good vibes anyway!

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-Team Peloton 65

Spring Bike Tune-Up

Spring has sprung and the Peloton 65 team would like to usher in the new season with a bike tune-up for kids! Those bikes have been kept in the garage all winter and we think they need a little love and some freshening up.

Tune-up services are free but a donation to Peloton 65 would be greatly appreciated by the team. Bring your bike, your family and a full picnic basket and join us on Saturday, June 7!

Where: Riley Park
When: Saturday, June 7, 11 – 1 p.m.

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-Your Peloton 65 Team

Quarterly Newsletter – First Edition!

Welcome to the first edition of the Peloton 65 quarterly newsletter!  Please click on the image below to read the full news letter.

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Additionally, we will be creating a new Peloton 65 email list to keep you all informed, so those of you that have submitted your email to us in the past, will be receiving a subscription confirmation very soon!

Thanks,

-Your Peloton 65 Team

Patricia (Pat) Mueller, 1948 – 2013

patIt is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Patricia (Pat) Mueller on Monday, November 4th at the age of 64.  After a brave and fierce battle with cancer, Pat passed peacefully with her husband and children at her side.

Pat leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband, Peter, her three children, Philip (Dianne Wilkins) of Calgary, Lisa (Corey Sadlemyer) of Medicine Hat, and Sara (Brett Anhorn) of Calgary; she also leaves her treasured grandchildren, Anna, Thomas (deceased), Kenna, Turner, Nora and Eli. Her family was her life, and she will be so profoundly missed by all of them. Pat was intensely proud and protective of her children, their spouses and her grandchildren, and was forever devoted to their health, happiness, and success.

Her roots in Philadelphia remained strong, and her sister, Ginny (Rick Kremer), along with her nieces Kim and Chris, as well as numerous other special family members and friends there will feel her loss.  In addition, Pat leaves numerous paternal in-laws, nieces and nephews to cherish her memory.  Pat was predeceased by her parents, Howard and Lydia Maier, and her dear grandson, Thomas Mueller.

Some of you might not have had the pleasure of knowing Pat, but you most certainly tasted her cookies every year at The Walk for Thomas.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to peloton65.com, a cause that was near to Pat’s heart.

There will be a Celebration of Pat’s life on Saturday, November 9th from 3-5pm at Medalta Pottery (713 Medalta Ave SE, Medicine Hat). Guests are asked to dress comfortably, as though you were going for a visit at Pat’s house.