Family is plenty motivated

The venue isn’t a city park for a picnic or barbecue, though, and the competition between family members is a little more strenuous than a friendly three-legged race or softball game.

No, the families come to the capital city with a definite purpose. For six years, Donalda Hintz of Dickinson has organized riders for the Medcenter One Great American Bike Race (GABR), and aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews pedal to raise money to help people with cerebral palsy and related disabilities.

“I like just getting everyone together,” said 18-year-old Mitchell Hintz, Donalda’s son.

He’s the main reason they do. Mitchell has cerebral palsy, and funds raised through GABR have helped his family immensely over the years. What started as one team of 10 participants named Mitch’s Mighty Dickinson Riders ballooned to three teams of family and friends from Dickinson, Mott and Bismarck for the 2010 event, which took place Saturday, April 10, at Century High School.

Interest in the teams has grown so much that several of the Mighty Riders split their turns riding in the annual fundraiser, so more people could participate. Donalda was merely a spectator and spent her time during this year’s event waving a fan to cool off those pedaling because the families’ three teams were full.

Rivalries carry over to the racing, as team members will sometimes make friendly wagers about who can pedal the greatest distance. There’s always a lot of gentle ribbing going back and forth between the riders.

“It’s contagious. You feel it when you start walking in,” said Bob Mosbrucker, Donalda’s brother who lives in Bismarck. “When you look around in the gymnasium, there’s just an energy to it.”