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70-year-old bicyclist leaves Barrington to raise $1 million

Barrington bicyclist sets high goal for fundraiser

The Barrington-area community gathered Sunday to wish their neighbor, 70-year-old bicyclist Bob Lee, bon voyage at a send-off party before his two month, 2,500-mile Ride for 3 Reasons along the West Coast.

The party was held at the Wool Street Bar & Sports Grill in downtown Barrington.

The ride will be Lee's third Ride for 3 Reasons — benefiting agencies fighting ALS and cancer as well as those providing hospice services.

On Lee's first ride in 2001, he raised $86,000 by riding 3,254 miles from San Diego to Jacksonville, Fla. On the second ride in 2007, he netted $390,000 by riding 6,500 miles from Jacksonville to Maine and then to Washington state.

This time, his goal is $1 million.

While earlier “Pacesetter” fundraisers in the community have put up $610,000 if he makes the rest, Lee said he knows the challenge now is to get help from people who haven't donated yet.

“Moneywise, we've already exceeded the last ride, but we still have the tough part to go — the last quarter million,” Lee said.

Funds raised will go to the Les Turner ALS Foundation, American Cancer Society, National Hospice Foundation and Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois.

For more information about the cause or to donate, visit 3reasons.org, call (847) 381-6239 or email bob@3reasons.org.

  Barrington resident Bob Lee, 70, chats with friends while kids ride around the parking lot Sunday before embarking on the a bike ride around the perimeter of the United States to raise money for cancer research, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and hospice education. Christian Gossin/cgossin@dailyherald.com
  Visitors sign their names on a large map of the Ride for 3 Reasons route at a send-off party Sunday for Barrington resident Bob Lee, 70. Lee is riding his bike around the perimeter of the United States to raise money for cancer research, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and hospice education. Christian Gossin/cgossin@dailyherald.com
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