Cyclists complete Tour DaVita ride at Grand Haven's Harbor Island

Wed, Sep 23, 2009    to del.icio.us

When the more than 350 bicyclists participating in the 2009 Tour DaVita neared the end of their 250-mile journey in Grand Haven on Tuesday afternoon, they had a choice: finish with a 10-mile jaunt around the city or tack on 40 more and make it an even 100 for the day.

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The riders departed from Greenville on Sunday and made their way through Fremont and Stony Lake before winding up the tour in Grand Haven.

To see a video of the ride into Grand Haven, click here:

http://www.grandhaventribune.com/liveique/b_vid_front.bsp

The tour raises money for the prevention of kidney disease. Riders hailing from 35 states raised $675,000 to be donated to the Kidney Trust during the event, DaVita Manager of Communications Kelsey Rood said.

Now in its third year, the tour was previously held in Alabama and Tennessee two years ago, and in Wisconsin last year, before moving to Michigan this year.

Many of the participants in the tour work in dialysis clinics, Rood said, or have a family member that has died from kidney disease.

The riders were greeted on Harbor Island by cheers of support and the now-familiar "tent city" — rows of tents where they have been sleeping at each stop and would spend one more night.

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While the tour's closing ceremonies were held Tuesday evening, some of the riders were to visit DaVita's dialysis center in Grand Haven this morning, DaVita Senior Vice President Bill "Coach" Shannon said.

While DaVita is in the business of treating patients with kidney disease, Shannon said, the goal of the tour is to raise awareness and spread education to prevent it.

"We're literally trying to improve the lives of the many people across the state of Michigan and across the country who are maybe almost diabetic or need to take better care of themselves," he said.