St. Charles-Based Cal's Angels To Lead Cross-Country Charity Ride

ST. CHARLES, IL — St. Charles, Illinois-based pediatric cancer foundation, Cal's Angels announced Tuesday the inaugural W.A.R on Wheels (WOW) charity ride. According to a release, the ride will span 2,499 miles along historic US Route 66 with a goal of raising $2,499,000 to fund pediatric cancer research through clinical trials while raising awareness for Cal’s Angels’ mission. The charity ride will kick off in Santa Monica, California on April 27 ending in St. Charles, Illinois on June 2, the release said.

The W.A.R. on Wheels ride will be led by the WOW cycle team, made up of a group of 12 cycling enthusiasts all motivated by the courage and perseverance of the brave kids battling cancer every day. According to a release, identifying with Cal’s Angels’ passion and determination to benefit these children and their families, the group has worked closely with the organization to create the charitable ride, leveraging its cycling power to generate funds that will further Cal’s Angels’ goals.

“Since the conception of Cal’s Angels, we’ve been committed to highlighting and funding the battle against children’s cancer, as pediatric cancer research only receives 4% of total cancer research funding,” said Stacey Sutter, co-founder of Cal’s Angels, in a release sent to Patch. “Our newest initiative, the W.A.R. on Wheels ride, is an extension of that commitment to help raise awareness of the issue at hand and contribute as much as possible, with every dollar donated supporting real clinical trials and our overall mission. We couldn’t be more excited to start such an impactful event and new way to help children and families in need.”

“I’ve long supported the Cal’s Angels mission, but it dawned on me one day when I was with a group of cycling friends that we could be doing more,” said Glen Galloway, member of the WOW cycling group, in a release sent to Patch. “It was then that we decided to combine two of our biggest passions: Cycling and helping in the fight against pediatric cancer. What started out as a simple ride for the kids has turned into the large-scale W.A.R. on Wheels event that we will recreate again and again to give back as much as we can.”

Beginning in Santa Monica, California, the team will bike their way through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois, raising funds with every mile they conquer. But like the kids they are riding for, the cyclists are not in this journey alone. All of the funds raised will go directly to the Cal’s Angels Foundation and will come from generous corporate sponsors, private donations, participation from avid cyclists across the country and social media momentum.

Various sponsorship opportunities are available including sponsorship of the entire ride and per-mile pledges for individual riders. Experienced cyclists are invited to join the WOW team for open rides throughout various legs of the ride for a small charitable contribution. Learn more about these sponsorship opportunities and open rides here.

The final 46 miles of the ride from Joliet to St. Charles will be in honor of Cal Sutter, who lost his battle to cancer in 2006 and became the inspiration for the Cal’s Angels Foundation. Riders will be greeted at the finish line June 2 by supporters lining Route 31 and will join in on the final celebrations that will be held at Mount St. Mary’s Park in St. Charles beginning at noon. All are welcome and encouraged to join in on the celebrations.

For ride information, to learn about sponsorship opportunities or to make a donation, visit the W.A.R. on Wheels website, call 847-960-5317 or email ride2499@waronwheels.us. An immediate $10 donation can be made by texting the word GIVE2CALS to the number 20222. Follow W.A.R. on Wheels on Twitter and Instagram: @waronwheels1.

About Cal’s Angels:

Cal’s Angels is a St. Charles, Illinois based 501(c)(3) pediatric cancer foundation established in 2007 after Cal Sutter lost his battle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in 2006. During his treatment, Cal always cared about others before himself. His kindness was the inspiration behind a foundation that would grant wishes, raise awareness and fund research to help kids fighting cancer. To learn more about the many ways to help, visit the Cal’s Angels website, like Cal's Angels on Facebook, and follow @CalsAngels on Twitter.