Bike the Basin Looking for Sponsors

When three local children came up with the idea for Bike the Basin, it was just the beginning for a fundraiser that raised $20,000 in its first year.

This year the event will be held on Sept. 23 at the Northampton Civic Center again.

The Smedley family–parents Mike and Kristin and their three children, Michael, Mitchell and Karissa–created the fundraiser to help find a cure for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), a form of blindness caused by the gene CRB1. Both Michael and Mitchell are blind, but the family hopes research will be advanced enough in five years for possible gene replacement therapy, according to their website.

Right now the family needs local sponsors to sign on at one of five sponsorship levels. Most of the pre-event work happens online, Kristin said, but that means the higher level sponsors are rewarded with tons of exposure. See the attached documents for levels and how to apply.

There will also be a kick-off event on June 1 at in Richboro. Cocktails for the Cure is a adults-only outing where attendees can learn about the progress the Curing Retinal Blindness Fund has made in the past year.

"Bike the Basin has literally lifted our family so high," Kristin said. "This community amazes me everyday with their love of helping my guys get closer to their dream of sight."

Contact Kristin at kristin@crb1.org or (267) 566-9068 for more information.