This is a remarkable story of how an Olympic athlete has chosen to deal with a debilitating disease that not only affects him, but many people right here in Sauk County, perhaps your friend or a family member. Several Baraboo residents are involved with this endeavor, and hope you will enable them to make a real difference in someone's life.
At the age of 15, Jimmie Heuga became the youngest male to ever make the US Ski Team. He raced internationally for 10 years, and at the Innsbruck Olympics, Heuga, along with teammate Billy Kidd, made US history when they won the first United States Olympic medals in Men's Alpine Skiing.
In 1970 Jimmie was diagnosed with muliple sclerosis. (MS)
Called 'The Great Crippler of Young Adults' the onset of the disease usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. It is the most prevalent neurological disease in the United States, affecting about 80 people here in Sauk county alone, and some 500,000 nationwide. In MS, the myelin sheath in the brain that insulates nerves becomes inflamed, short-circuiting the flow of messages from the brain to the body. Symptoms can be mild to severe, and may include slurred speech, balance disturbances, extreme fatigue, blindness, and problems with cognition. No specific cause has been found, and there is no cure.
Jimmie followed the advice of his doctors for several years, which at that time encouraged patients to maintain a carefully planned sedentary lifestyle. Eventually his athlete's body rebelled, and he began to work to regain a sense of control over the challenges of MS. He designed a program to 're-animate' himself. Jimmie's phenomenal success in dealing with the course of the disease led him to found the Jimmie Heuga Center for the Re-animation of the Physically Challenged. (JHC) His philosophy of the wellness approach to MS, which focuses on what CAN be done rather than what cannot, is now accepted by the medical community. The JHC is not raising money to cure MS, but to help people manage it better.
Today, the Jimmie Heuga Mountain Bike Express is the secondary financial support for the Center's wellness programs, scholarships and research activities. Named '24 Hours of Afton' (Your Pain is Our Gain) it is billed as a Festival of Agony. The race features individuals and four person teams competing in relay format for 24 continuous hours. It begins at 5 P.M. August 27th, at the Afton Alps Ski Area, just east of St. Paul, Minnesota. The course features about 600 feet of elevation per lap. The promotional literature promises a ride that is 'guaranteed to suck out your will to live and crush you like a a grape all before the sun rises'. Finishing at 5 P.M. August 28th, participants are awarded places based on how many laps were completed and funds raised for the Center.
Baraboo and the surrounding area have an opportunity to participate in this event -Rick Capener, Scott Riedel, Hal Hempel, Chris Lemke and alternate Jeff Paulson- members of the Bleu Moon Mountain Bike Society, are hoping to not only endure this race, but bring home the award of the Most Donations to the Jimmie Heuga Center. Bleu Moon is a local group that promotes off-road trail access, environmentally responsible trail use and preservation, and off-road safety. This is accomplished through education and advocacy by volunteer participation.
The local connection is though Christin Harding, a Baraboo resident who will crew for the Bleu Moon team in Afton. She was diagnosed with MS in 1994, and has been a member of the Bleu Moon Mountain Bike Society for about 2 years.
Baraboo has so many people and places that are unique to the area-this is our chance to really make a difference AND get some terrific 'PR'. Donations of ANY amount are most welcome. Special riding jerseys are being designed for the team, and individuals and local businesses can have their name and/or company logo printed on them for a minimum donation of $50.00. The jerseys will not only be worn throughout the race, but at events and races in and around the area. Bleu Moon participants ride at a number of annual local events, including The Boo-U Challenge, Fat Tire 40, and teach at Rural Farm Safety Days and Youth Opportunity Day. Camera ready artwork and names for the jerseys are due by July 1st. If you or your business would like to help sponsor the team, please contact Christin at (608) 356-5150, studioC95@hotmail.com, or 408 9th St. Baraboo, WI 53913.
Donations are tax deductible, as it is a 501 C3 certified charitable organization. For more information about the Jimmie Heuga Center, email them at center@heuga.org or call 888-DOIT4MS for more race info. To contact the Bleu Moon Mountain Bike Society, you can check out their website at http://www.worba.org/bmmbs/index.htm.