Bikes versus boats raises cancer awareness

By Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki

June 30, 2014 at 5:57 pm Mackinac Island

Gerry Schilling (right) with Less Cancer Ride Co- Leader Dave Toutant

There’s an unofficial race going on alongside the Bells Beer Bayview Mackinac Race– this one is whether bikes or boats can get to Mackinac Island first.

Bikes versus boats is a combined effort between the Mackinac race and the organization Less Cancer to promote cancer prevention and healthy lifestyles.

The bikers will pedal the approximately 300 miles from Port Huron to Mackinac Island, leaving Port Huron early in the morning of July 12, the day the Mackinac race begins. They plan to stop in West Branch Saturday night and hopefully reach Mackinac Sunday night.

“We wanted to have some community outreach programs,” said 2014 Race Chairman Art Le Vasseur. The race is also featuring another outreach program by providing opportunity for young people with autism to help sail boats back from the island, to help promote autism awareness.

Among the bikers will be survivors such as Jerry Schilling, a throat cancer survivor, and cancer patient including Chris Renouf, who is battling stage four prostate cancer.