This summer, a young girl from the community was confined to a hospital bed for nearly two months. When Chai Lifeline heard about this, they made sure she wouldn’t miss out on the joys of summer camp.
Every day, volunteers would visit her, delivering camp swag designed for her, a custom-made camp song, special night activities, and hospital room concerts with celebrity singers. Her mother told Chai Lifeline she hadn’t seen her daughter so happy since before her diagnosis.
This is just one of countless inspiring stories made possible by Chai Lifeline, the international support network for children and families facing serious illness, crisis, and loss. Now, they’re holding their sixteenth annual Bike4Chai event, a two-day, 180-mile journey through the Pocono Mountains and Catskills featuring more than 700 riders, to raise critical funds and continue their vital work. This year, the event will be held August 12-14, with riders from across the nation, including Los Angeles, joining in.
“We want the broader community to witness what our riders, volunteers, and supporters already know: this isn’t just a cycling event, it’s a movement of hope and heart,” said Zevy Bamberger, chief marketing officer. “The finish line represents more than the end of a 180-mile journey; it’s the culmination of thousands of acts of chesed, of pushing past limits for a child or family facing serious illness. Opening it up allows families, friends, and community members to feel the power of what their support makes possible.”
Proceeds will benefit year-round services for more than 10,000 families – these are services like Camp Simcha, for children with cancer and other blood disorders; hospital visits; case management; transportation to medical treatment; crisis intervention; i-Shine afterschool programming; and much more. In LA, Chai Lifeline West Coast has been in operation since 1999, and it helps children and families impacted by serious illness in California and the entire Western United States. According to the organization, the West Coast might be thousands of miles away, but when it comes to spirit, heart, and purpose, the LA community is always front and center.
“Riders [from all over] come for the challenge, but they return year after year because they feel part of something much bigger,” said Bamberger. “They’re not just cycling; they’re giving children their childhood back. They’re giving families hope.”
The festivities kick off on Tuesday, August 12, with rider registration and a hospitality dinner at Kalahari Resort in Pennsylvania, and on Wednesday, the cyclists will go through the Poconos and New Jersey. Thursday’s journey continues through the Catskills and will end with a victory lap at Monticello Motor Club, where Camp Simcha campers and families, volunteers, and the public will come to cheer on the cyclists. There will also be a carnival including activities for children of all ages, and delicious cholent from Boosur and Rita’s ice cream.
“There’s nothing like watching a rider cross the finish line and celebrate with the Camp Simcha campers, the very children they ride for,” said Bamberger. “That connection, that moment of shared strength and pride, is what I look forward to most. And this year, I’m especially excited to watch the public experience that magic with us.”
One thing is clear: Bike4Chai is more than just a fundraiser.
“It’s a lifeline powered by people.” – Zevy Bamberger
“It’s a lifeline powered by people,” Bamberger said. “Every rider, every donor, every supporter plays a part in changing the lives of children and families facing unimaginable challenges. And with Hashem’s help, we’ll keep riding and giving until every family gets the support they need.”
For more information or to join the Finish Line event, visit www.bike4chai.com/25.
