It is with profound gratitude that I write to thank each of you for the hope and healing you have brought the brave and beautiful children in our care. You did something extraordinary this past weekend with your bodies, riding 135 grueling miles in 2 days -- a feat outmatched only by what you accomplished with your hearts. Your grassroots fundraising and advocacy, likely to surpass $300,000 following pledges and final emails, will continue AngelRide's legacy of bringing the magic of Camp to the bedsides of thousands of hospitalized youngsters when they need it the most.

As Matty Cook shared with us on Sunday morning, you have impacted the lives of people you will probably never meet, in ways you cannot possibly begin to imagine. You are the true embodiment of the passage read that morning from George Bernard Shaw's Man & Superman:

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose you recognize as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

"I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.

"I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

As I left the Camp on Sunday evening, I saw only the gentle treads of bike tires in the sand at the front gate -- a powerful yet subtle footprint of an epic weekend spent with so many friends, old and new. These remarkable photos <http://www.photoadventureswithed.com/blog/bikeourplanet/angelride-2009/>, taken by adventure photographer Ed Dean will help share the Ride with those who weren't there. Amazing photographs with a story behind each and every one.

Once again, on behalf of AngelRide, and the board, staff, and families of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp -- we thank you. We are honored to have you as our ambassadors and cannot wait for our paths to cross again in the future.

AngelRide 2010? Who's in?

Keep in touch & be well.

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