6-26-2009 Newsletter

Team Shell Wins Several Awards

CONGRATULATIONS and thank you Team Shell volunteers, sponsors, riders, and organizers for an outstanding year!  We proudly accepted five team awards last night at the 2009 MS150 Awards Party.  Check out some photos on the team website: www.shellcyclingteam.com.

1. Million Dollar Club Award - We are in the company of a few elite teams who earned this prestigious recognition for raising more than one
million dollars for the Lone Star Chapter of the MS Society over the last 8 years.

2. Top-Fundraiser Award - We finished in 6th place this year with $332,815.45, thanks in large to you. Please also pass on our
appreciation to your sponsors who made this possible.

3. Gold Safety Award - We received this award for our bike safety leadership and for upholding a strict standard for riding safety
throughout the training season and the MS150 Tour.  Special thanks to  our safety trainers, ride marshals, and MS150 Safety Committee members for their leadership.  But more importantly, thanks to all of you for embracing and promoting safe riding.

4. Mission Possible Award - This award was presented to teams who have demonstrated strong commitment to the cause through fundraising and volunteerism.

5. Best Corporate Jersey Award - This was definitely the big surprise of the night!  Thank you Karee Kimbro and Lou Ann Beckmann for your creativity and support.

In addition, we were a top-3 finalist for the Green Team Award recognizing teams that demonstrate the greatest commitment to the
environment: recycling, carpooling, etc.

Our Top Fundraisers & Veterans

Please join me in congratulating 112 of our teammates (see the attached PDF) who made the 2009 Top-Fundraiser Club by raising more than $1000 each.  I'd also like to recognize two special teammates who have consistently gone the extra mile to make their mark felt in the fight against MS.  They have been and continue to be our top fundraisers for the last few years:

- Mark Livingston with $15,526.50 in 2009.
- Peter Birckhead with $10,000.00 in 2009.

I would also recognize our veteran riders who as of this year have
completed 15 or more MS150's:

- Bob Chandler 21
- Gary Fleming 19
- Mike Mahoney 17
- Martha Hilton 16
- Alan Bazard 15

2010 MS150 Timeline

In case you're curious to know, following is a preliminary timeline for the 2010 MS150 Houston-to-Austin. Exact dates and details will be
announced nearer time.

- Early Sep, '09, Registration begins with Team Shell.
- Early Oct, '09, Registration begins for the 2010 MS150 Houston to Austin.
- Early Nov, '09, Registration begins for the 2010 CP training series.
- Early Jan, '10, Start of CP training series and other MS150 training rides.
- Apr 17-18, '10, (Date to be confirmed) MS150 Houston to Austin.

Priority registration for the 2010 MS150 will be granted to the following participants:

- 2009 Club 300 members (plus two guests each).
- Participants who raised more than $1,000 in the 2009 MS150.
- 2009 Top Fundraising Teams (Team Shell is one).


Tour de Pink - Sunday Sep 13

Register now and please invite friends and family members to join us! Our goal is to have 100 Team Shell riders at this wonderful event.

The annual Tour de Pink is a very special event benefiting the Pink Ribbons Project to fight breast cancer through awareness and education programs and the support of proper screening for the medically underserved.

Join Shell teammates and thousands of other riders this year as we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Tour de Pink, scheduled for Sunday, September 13th, at Prairie View A&M University outside of Houston, Texas.  Routes are available for all levels: 12, 23, 47, 63, 80 and 100 miles!

Registration process:
1. Go to: http://www.tourdepink.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=1080
2. Click on the link that says: "Click here to join an existing team"
3. Enter Team Shell in the team name box and follow the instructions.

Other Upcoming Rides

July 19, Katy Flatland, Katy
http://www.northwestcyclingclub.com/club/rides/kfc.html

August 29, Hotter 'N Hell, Wichita Falls
http://www.hh100.org/

August 29, Sean Ashley House Tour d Autism, New Waverly
http://www.seanashleyhouse.org

September 13, Tour de Pink, Prairie View
http://www.tourdepink.org/

September 19, Tour de Cure, Houston
http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC441018030?pg=entry&fr_id=6010

October 3, Pineywoods Purgatory, Lufkin
http://www.pineywoodspurgatory.com/

October 3-4, Bike MS: Valero 2009 Alamo Ride to the River - San Antonio
http://nationalmssociety.org/chapters/bikeMSValero2009/join-the-ride/index.aspx

October 10-11, Lyondell Bike Around the Bay, Anahuac
http://www.bikearoundthebay.org/

November 7, NovemberFest, San Felipe
http://www.novemberfestmetriccentury.org

See you on the road!

Afif
Captain, Team Shell