Miles for Life

We are just back after riding 1,000 miles over 4 days through Yellowstone National Park with over 20 Crown Council dentists who each made a generous donation that amounted to a $100,000 benefit to Smiles for Life (www.SmilesForLife.org). Officially named the “Miles for Life” ride, Dr. Roy and Frances Hammond four years ago offered to donate the proceeds from one of their Learning Curves (www.LearningCurves.net) dental adventure tours to the Smiles for Life Foundation. Four years later, this event has raised over $300,000.

Over four years ago when Dr. Roy invited me to join the Learning Curves faculty, I had never ridden a motorcycle. But his challenge to step out of my comfort zone resulted in an official motorcycle safety course and a new Harley-Davidson in the garage! Since then the “Miles for Life” ride has taken us through the Colorado Rockies, National Parks of Southern Utah, and Yellowstone National Park twice. (Above: as the sun rises over West Yellowstone, Dr. Ed White, Roy Hammond and myself prepare with over 20 other riders and partners to depart for the day.)

One of the fun aspects of this building tradition is the numbers of riders who have decided to get out of their comfort zone and prepare to ride for the first time as well. Our thanks goes out to Dr. Hammond and his family for making this a great experience for veteran and neophyte as well.

As mentioned in this blog several weeks ago, we recently lost Frances Hammond. This was the first Learning Curves ride in over 12 years that she was not present. Frances was missed, but we admire Dr. Roy’s commitment to carry on the good work that they started together.

My thanks also to the dentists and spouses who stepped up to the challenge, donated, and rode including:

• Allan Acton
• Joe Albert and Maurene Cronyn
• Dale and Lynn Behner
• Bill Dorfman
• Joes Gurevich and Ana Loynez
• Chris and Ali Hammond
• Eric Harris
• Fred Hecht
• Denise Markoff and Fran Landoff
• Michael Cooper
• Mario Lemay and Suzanne Harmony
• Ron and Cindy Massie
• Ken and Lori McAfee
• Lon and Holy M cRae
• Tim and Faith Modic
• Jim Moore and Tara Bauer
• Ralph Pamenter
• Howard and Alla Steinberg
• Jared Theurer
• Ed White
• Mark and Angel Webb
• Paula Swenson
• Tracy Beckstrom
• Amy Gerstner

It was four days o0r great scenery, education, and mentoring never to be forgotten.

So step up to the challenge. Join us next summer for “Miles for Life.” If you have never ridden, you have a year to learn and get ready. If you are a veteran rider, you’ll never go on a ride that is more fulfilling that will do more good than this.

Dates for next year’s ride will be announced shortly. To tentatively reserve your space, e-mail us at Answers@TotalPatientSerice.com today. The ride has been sold out for the last three years running. That’s a tradition that is bound to continue.