We’re Stronger, Together: Davis Phinney Foundation’s TEAM DPF Launches Season as Official Charity Partner with Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

April 20, 2021

Legendary event will draw cyclists together, and raise funds to help people with Parkinson’s live their best lives today

DURANGO, COLO.— What a difference a year makes. We are thrilled to announce that the Davis Phinney Foundation [https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/] will be bringing back in-person events at limited capacity for athletes of all abilities who would like to participate in live athletic and fundraising events in 2021. And we’ll kick off our season in beautiful Durango, Colorado.

The Foundation’s grassroots fundraising program, TEAM DPF  will kick off the season as a charitable partner of the Iron Horse Bicycling Classic [https://www.ironhorsebicycleclassic.com/charitable-partners] this year, May 28-30. Road, E-bike, mountain bike, and gravel cyclists are invited to join in to ride and help raise funds to support the Parkinson’s community.

With a lottery introduced this year to limit participation and keep cyclists and our communities safe, joining Team DPF is one way to guarantee your spot.

Commit to fundraise or donate $250 or more to earn a spot on our roster and earn team swag. While our usual presence on event weekend may not look the same, we will do everything we can to make it a fun, safe and memorable event. Funds the team raises directly benefit the Parkinson’s community in Durango.

Link to join our roster and earn comp entry: http://events.dpf.org/ironhorse21. Email for more info: TeamDPF@dpf.org.

Each year, a portion of funds raised through this event go directly toward supporting local resources for the Durango Parkinson’s community. Led by Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies (PAR), in collaboration with a local leadership group which includes many familiar faces from the Team DPF Iron Horse team, these resources are more critical than ever as the community begins recovering from isolation and restraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Connection is vitally important for our Durango Parkinson’s community,” says Linda Heaton, a member of the local leadership community. “COVID-19, social distancing, wearing masks, and staying home has put a strain on these connections and resources.”

In partnership with PAR and the Davis Phinney Foundation, the group is rebuilding and looking forward to expanding.

“The Durango Parkinson’s community is incredibly resilient, but this last year has been a challenge,” says Jodi Brown, Executive Director of PAR. “Because of the support of the Davis Phinney Foundation and local donors, we have the resources we need to get people back into the exercise classes and support groups they rely on to live well with Parkinson’s. We’ve already worked with Mercy Sports to get smaller in-person classes up and running again and will move to a larger facility later in the spring. We’re also working to provide a virtual option for those who prefer to continue participating from home. And we’re investigating how we help address barriers to participation including transportation for in-person attendance and tech literacy and access for those attending virtually.”

This is just the beginning of what the groups hope to create however. In addition to reinstituting these exercise classes, partnerships with the Durango Rec Center, Durango Hot Springs Resorts, and other community organizations are in the works to expand support for local people living with Parkinson’s.

“Our new Healthy Parkinson’s Communities initiative is really focused on leveraging cross-sector collaboration to increase awareness about Parkinson’s within a community,” says Jenna Deidel, Director of Programs & Outreach for the Davis Phinney Foundation. “For a community like Durango, this means ensuring that the activities and events that make this community’s culture so vibrant – outdoor recreation, art festivals, concerts – are accessible and welcoming for people living with Parkinson’s and by extension for anyone who may need a little extra consideration or accommodation to participate.”

If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer please contact:  Parkinson Association of the Rockies at info@parkionsonrockies.org or 303-830-1839.

About PAR: The Parkinson Association of the Rockies (PAR), founded in 1981, is dedicated to enhancing lives and connecting communities in Colorado.  Our mission is to connect and empower People with Parkinson’s to thrive through educating, creating awareness, promoting research and supporting those with the disease, their families and the Colorado community.

PAR is an independent non-profit not affiliated with a national organization.

The Davis Phinney Foundation  was founded by Olympic cyclist Davis Phinney in 2004 to help people with Parkinson’s live well today. The organization’s focus is to provide programs and resources that offer inspiration, information and tools that enable people living with Parkinson’s to take action that can immediately improve their quality of life. Parkinson’s is the No. 2 neurodegenerative disease — second to Alzheimer’s — and affects more than 1 million people in the United States. The Foundation’s work impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals and families each year.

Team DPF  is  the grassroots fundraising community that supports the Davis Phinney Foundation through participation in a wide range of athletic and community-based events. With a focus on fun, personal empowerment and fundraising for Parkinson’s, Team DPF welcomes all ages and abilities. With roots in cycling, Team DPF also extends to runners, climbers, swimmers, hikers, community events and more. Team DPF is sponsored by: Primal, AltRed, SCRATCH Labs, BOCO Gear, Trek, The Sufferfest, Baker Insurance and Boulder Neurological and Spine Associates. Visit  dpf.org   to learn more.

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