Shamus Memorial "Great Bear Ride"
Donation protected
The Great Bear Ride: The Shamus Memorial Sacred Site Bike Ride and Fundraiser for Rural America Initiatives
Why we ride...
"We began cycling about 5 years ago as a family. We’ve always enjoyed cycling, but over the past 4 years we have made cycling our main form of exercise. It began as therapy after the loss of my son, now it has become a life style.
My son, Shamus O'Daniel lost his life to Diabetes. Shamus was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of six and he lost his battle with this disease at age twenty-one.
While Shamus did not live a long life, during the brief time he was with us, he left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of all who knew him. Shamus was a sports enthusiast, and an active athlete who truly loved sports. He enjoyed team sports but most of all he enjoyed sharing his love for sports with his brother, Michael. The two golfed, skied, or played tennis together depending on the season. He also loved spending time with his cousins, Sam and Kiko. The boys, Shamus, Michael, Sam, and Kiko relished in their adventures from the time they were little boys.
Shamus was diagnosed with diabetes when he was six-years-old. For Shamus, coping with the disease proved to be a daily struggle. When he was in his early teens, he created a super hero who struggled with diabetes in an effort to share the complications of living with diabetes, and the possibility of overcoming its power. The character resembled a transformer-like figure. I believe that he was seeking transformative powers over the disease.
Over the past 3 years I have organized a memorial ride to Devils Tower in memory of my son. For me, Michael and our family, it has become a spiritual journey. From this experience my goal was to organize rides to our sacred sites in memory of Shamus and others who have traveled on to the spirit world.
Born August 15, 1991, he died November 11, 2012, living 7,665 days on this earth. That is the amount of money we hope to raise with this ride, to honor his memory and to help Lakota children live strong, healthy lives. 100% of the funds raised will go to Rural America Initiatives, an organization dedicated to providing better futures for at-risk Native American children and their families." Lily Mendoza y Ducheneaux, Shamus' mother
"The Great Bear Ride": The Shamus Memorial Sacred Site Bike Ride and Fundraiser for Rural America Initiatives will take place on October 1, 2016. Cyclists will ride from Bear Butte in Sturgis, South Dakota, to Mato Tipila (Bear Lodge, also called Devil's Tower National Park) in Wyoming, two sites sacred to the Lakota and other Native People. This is a self-supported ride, and cyclists are welcome to travel a portion of the route or the whole distance. The ride will begin with a blessing and honoring song at 7 am, with an anticipated finish at 7 pm.
For more information about the ride please see Great Bear Ride: The Shamus Memorial Sacred Site Bike Ride & Fundraiser for Rural America Initiatives on Facebook.
For more information about Shamus O'Daniel, please see The Shamus Project on Facebook.
Rural America Initiatives (RAI) is a non-profit organization located in South Dakota, helping Rapid City's most at-risk Lakota children and their families. Established in 1986, RAI provides services though educational programming that address the needs of the whole family. RAI operates a Head Start program for children ags 0-5, equipping poverty-level children with the skills they need to begin kindergarten on the same level as any child. RAI's Ateyapi (Lakota for "fatherhood") program, a positive role-modeling mentoring program in Rapid City's elementary, middle and high schools, focuses on giving students the skills they need to succeed in life, with of staying in school a priority. In 2015 93% of seniors in the Ateyapi program graduated from high school.
For more information about Rural America Initiatives, please see our website at www.ruralamericainitiatives.org or visit us on Facebook.
Why we ride...
"We began cycling about 5 years ago as a family. We’ve always enjoyed cycling, but over the past 4 years we have made cycling our main form of exercise. It began as therapy after the loss of my son, now it has become a life style.
My son, Shamus O'Daniel lost his life to Diabetes. Shamus was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of six and he lost his battle with this disease at age twenty-one.
While Shamus did not live a long life, during the brief time he was with us, he left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of all who knew him. Shamus was a sports enthusiast, and an active athlete who truly loved sports. He enjoyed team sports but most of all he enjoyed sharing his love for sports with his brother, Michael. The two golfed, skied, or played tennis together depending on the season. He also loved spending time with his cousins, Sam and Kiko. The boys, Shamus, Michael, Sam, and Kiko relished in their adventures from the time they were little boys.
Shamus was diagnosed with diabetes when he was six-years-old. For Shamus, coping with the disease proved to be a daily struggle. When he was in his early teens, he created a super hero who struggled with diabetes in an effort to share the complications of living with diabetes, and the possibility of overcoming its power. The character resembled a transformer-like figure. I believe that he was seeking transformative powers over the disease.
Over the past 3 years I have organized a memorial ride to Devils Tower in memory of my son. For me, Michael and our family, it has become a spiritual journey. From this experience my goal was to organize rides to our sacred sites in memory of Shamus and others who have traveled on to the spirit world.
Born August 15, 1991, he died November 11, 2012, living 7,665 days on this earth. That is the amount of money we hope to raise with this ride, to honor his memory and to help Lakota children live strong, healthy lives. 100% of the funds raised will go to Rural America Initiatives, an organization dedicated to providing better futures for at-risk Native American children and their families." Lily Mendoza y Ducheneaux, Shamus' mother
"The Great Bear Ride": The Shamus Memorial Sacred Site Bike Ride and Fundraiser for Rural America Initiatives will take place on October 1, 2016. Cyclists will ride from Bear Butte in Sturgis, South Dakota, to Mato Tipila (Bear Lodge, also called Devil's Tower National Park) in Wyoming, two sites sacred to the Lakota and other Native People. This is a self-supported ride, and cyclists are welcome to travel a portion of the route or the whole distance. The ride will begin with a blessing and honoring song at 7 am, with an anticipated finish at 7 pm.
For more information about the ride please see Great Bear Ride: The Shamus Memorial Sacred Site Bike Ride & Fundraiser for Rural America Initiatives on Facebook.
For more information about Shamus O'Daniel, please see The Shamus Project on Facebook.
Rural America Initiatives (RAI) is a non-profit organization located in South Dakota, helping Rapid City's most at-risk Lakota children and their families. Established in 1986, RAI provides services though educational programming that address the needs of the whole family. RAI operates a Head Start program for children ags 0-5, equipping poverty-level children with the skills they need to begin kindergarten on the same level as any child. RAI's Ateyapi (Lakota for "fatherhood") program, a positive role-modeling mentoring program in Rapid City's elementary, middle and high schools, focuses on giving students the skills they need to succeed in life, with of staying in school a priority. In 2015 93% of seniors in the Ateyapi program graduated from high school.
For more information about Rural America Initiatives, please see our website at www.ruralamericainitiatives.org or visit us on Facebook.
Organizer
Deborah Gangloff
Organizer
Rapid City, SD
