The 10th Annual Jim Krause Memorial Charity Cycling Ride the Point for pancreatic cancer research, beginning and ending at Liberty Station, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11.

This local all-volunteer ride on Veterans Day this year has raised over $300,000 for pancreatic cancer research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

Hosted by the Point Loma Rotary Club, Ride the Point has three distances to accommodate diverse levels of cycling experience. The 5-mile Family Fun Ride is relatively flat on bike paths along San Diego Bay perfect for beginners, challenged athletes, and families. The 25 and Metric Century are street rides with exclusive routes and challenging climbs around scenic San Diego.

Point Loma Rotarian event director Richard Stakelum, Ed.D, said the all-volunteer Ride the Point started as a “small ride,” which has since evolved into a multi-faceted fundraising cycling event drawing numerous other community service organizations like Kiwanis, The Lion’s Club, and Rotoracts.

Noting Krause was a personal friend, Stakelum pointed out he “did a lot of philanthropic projects around San Diego, was big with the YMCA, and was instrumental in doing a lot of community projects.”

Stakelum said cycling for Krause was “one of the loves of his life.” He added Krause continued to ride even after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and undergoing treatment. “So it just made sense to honor him with a bike ride,” Stakelum concluded.

The event director said Ride the Point raised $10,000 in its first year, made about $65,000 last year, and has generated about $350,000, which goes toward primary cancer research. “We consider it (fundraising) as priming the pump,” Stakelum said.

Ride The Point is now capped at 600 participants, which Stakelum said was done for several reasons including to make it “more a boutique-type and family ride that is more personable” so the riders all get to know each other.

The public is invited to the free healthy lifestyle expo at Oggi’s in Liberty Station, 2562 Laning Road, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Nov. 11 with local vendors, music, and refreshments. For more information, visit RideThePoint.org.

Since 1950, the Point Loma Rotary Club has performed local, national, and international service projects. Local projects supported by the club include leadership programs at local schools, scouting, YMCA sponsorship, Point Loma Library, Point Loma Summer Concerts, Children’s Hospital, Semper Fi Fund, Project Alpha, Rescue Task Force, Humane Society, Meals on Wheels, Holiday Helping Hands, Shelter Box, and Reality Changers.

UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S., and the only one in San Diego. This designation is reserved for centers with the highest achievements in cancer research, clinical care, education, and community contributions. Learn more at cancer.ucsd.edu.

PLRC visits UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center annually to present the proceeds from the Jim Krause Memorial Charity Bicycle Ride the Point to the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center pancreatic cancer research team who supported Krause during his treatment for pancreatic cancer.

RIDE THE POINT

Longtime Point Loman Jim Krause, an avid cyclist, and a past-president of the Point Loma Rotary Club, died in 2012 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. In his memory, PLRC hosts an annual Jim Krause Memorial Charity Bike Ride to support pancreatic cancer research. His many friends sponsor the ride to highlight the beautiful cycling areas around Point Loma, promote a healthy lifestyle, and raise awareness of pancreatic cancer. Event proceeds fund local pancreatic cancer research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and other Point Loma Rotary civic projects.

The fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women, pancreatic cancer’s overall five-year survival for patients is only 5.6 percent. To address this need, a team of investigators at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center is dedicated to the development and translation of discoveries that will improve the outcome for patients with pancreatic cancer.