Published July 22, 2020
ZAPATOS BLANCOS team members, from left, Matt DiVirgilio, John Pace, Tim Freeman, Matt Egan, Louis Tramontozzi, Brian Haney, Bobby Williams, Gerry Noumi, Joel Steiner, Greg Monaghan, Frank Cruz, Daniel Hansen, Mark Preston and Joe Montesano raised over $28,000 for the Seacoast Safari CF Cycle for Life virtual fundraiser earlier this month. (File Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The ongoing COVID-19 virus pandemic did not stop a group of local residents from doing their part in hopes of finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.
Lynnfield residents Joel Steiner, Gerry Noumi, Joe Attubato, Matt DiVirgilio, Brian Haney, Daniel Hansen, Chris Kelley, Guy Lombardo, Greg Monaghan, John Pace, Mark Preston, Dave Rogers, Lou Tramontozzi, Curt Underwood and Bobby Williams were joined by out-of-staters Frank Cruz, Matt Egan, Tim Freeman and Joe Montesano during the Seacoast Safari CF Cycle for Life virtual fundraiser earlier this month. The Zapatos Blancos (The White Shoes) have been participating in the fundraiser, which raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, since 2013.
“Our team grew in 2020,” said Steiner. “This year, the event raised $118,958 and our team raised $28,263. Our team is currently the top fundraising team for all CF events to date. John Pace and Bobby Williams have an ongoing fundraising rivalry. I’m proud of our entire team’s efforts and it goes to show how remarkable the support is from friends and family, including many residents from Lynnfield. We are still accepting donations and would ideally like to hit $30,000.”
The Zapatos Blancos raised over $12,000 last year.
While the bike-a-thon usually has cyclists traveling along the seacoast of New Hampshire and Maine, Steiner said this year’s event was virtual due to the pandemic.
“Our team was tasked with creating our own ride,” said Steiner. “Thankfully, we have some veteran riders who have some major accomplishments under the belt and a few were willing to chart our course.”
Steiner said Noumi, Hansen, Tramontozzi and Preston decided to have the Zapatos Blancos travel two routes along the North Shore coastline. Most of the team undertook a 70-mile route and a few members completed a 50-mile trek.
“Both routes proved to be a challenge,” said Steiner. “The ride was hot, approaching 94 degrees, and challenging with many rolling hills. But we remained focused on our reason for the event – pedaling for those who can’t while raising funds to support research for CF.”
Noumi concurred with Steiner’s viewpoint.
“We pulled it all together on the rolling hills of Cape Ann,” said Noumi. “We spent a lot of early mornings training, but we weren’t ready for temperatures to be in the 90s. We were excited that the entire team finished.”
Steiner said he became involved with the CF Cycle for Life fundraiser while working with Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Pediatric-Endocrinology office in 2013.
“I stopped by one of the administrator’s desks who worked with CF kids,” said Steiner. “I asked what was new to advance the lives of those with CF. She shared a lot and encouraged me to join the annual event where she volunteered. I accepted the challenge and am so happy to have done so. Our first team raised around $3,000 and now that number has risen exponentially.”
Noumi initially got involved with the fundraiser as a way to connect with a group of friends as well as exercise. However, he said the event has become near and dear to his heart.
“It’s amazing to see our children learning what it takes to raise money for a great cause such as supporting people and families with CF,” said Noumi. “That gives it a more special meaning.”
CF Foundation Executive Director Lisa O’Connor said in a statement that the Zapatos Blancos were presented with a Top Team Fundraising Award this year.
“All of us at the CF Foundation are so grateful to the entire team for their incredible dedication, support and outstanding fundraising efforts,” said O’Connor. “We were so excited to be able to virtually present a Top Team Fundraising Award to Zapatos Blancos for raising $28,263 for our Northern New England CF Cycle for Life virtual event, which brings their total raised over the years to over $60,000. They are truly amazing. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation supports the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for people with CF and, ultimately, to find a cure. Thanks to Zapatos Blancos and all of our dedicated riders, teams and sponsors, we were able to raise $120,000 this year to help support our mission.”
Steiner said raising money for the CF Foundation is a cause that is important to the Zapatos Blancos.
“If we can make a difference for an individual and family impacted by Cystic Fibrosis, I think that is meaningful,” said Steiner. “Each year, at about the 50-mile point as the ride becomes more difficult, I start to ask myself, ‘why am I doing this?’ The response is always the same: To ride for those who can’t, to make a difference for people that need it and to do the right thing. CF unfortunately impacts 30,000 families in the U.S. and is a life-threatening genetic disease causing an unusually thick, sticky mucus. If we can keep riding and raising money to fund research, hopefully the acronym of CF will change from Cystic Fibrosis to cure found.”
Steiner said he is “humbled by the selflessness from our team members, their families and appreciate them more than they know.”
“Each year, I think our team grows because we try to make this fun and a family event,” said Steiner. “This year was more unique and we were limited, but I’m hoping next year we are able to get back to Wells, Maine with our families to celebrate the entire weekend. Ideally, our children will look back on this annual event as some of their more cherished memories. It will be interesting to see who and how many will be first to ride with us when they’re old enough.”
Noumi agreed.
“We appreciate all of the support we received,” said Noumi. “It helped us finish strong.”
