Wood, the global consulting and engineering company, is celebrating 25 years of fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis charities in the Houston area, totalling $1.5m in donations. Teams from the company have taken part in the annual Texas MS 150 cycling event, and other local charity initiatives in partnership with the Southwest Cycling Club (SWCC).
The Texas MS 150
is a two-day, 150-mile fundraising bike ride from Houston to College Station. The Texas MS 150 ride is the largest fundraising event for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The event, which currently has over 5000 participants, aims to raise $13.5 million for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to help researchers and support the 2.3 million people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The National MS Society mobilizes people and resources to support those affected by MS. Last year, the Society invested $40 million in MS research with more than 360 active projects around the world. Through its comprehensive nationwide network of services, the Society devoted $100 million to help more than 1 million people affected by MS.
Team Wood has raised $28,622 so far this year but need your help to get closer to their goal of $80,000. The company will also make a donation of $10,000.
In addition to the MS 150, Wood and SWCC host the Katy Christian Ministries Santa’s Sleigh Event hosted on Wood’s Houston campus. A team of about 100 Wood and SWCC volunteers raise funds and then get together prior to Christmas to purchase and assemble 200 bikes every year for local disadvantaged children. This encourages the children to participate in healthy activities at no cost to their parents.
Bill Thomas
Board member of SWCC and Wood MS 150 Team Member remembers bike assembly starting in 2009, “An anonymous donor provided the bikes and the Wood-SWCC Team assembled them. Then in 2020, the donor transitioned to another charity and the Wood-SWCC team had to rally on short notice to fundraise to purchase the bikes as well as assemble them. In 2022, the fundraising was above projections, and 280 bikes were delivered to Katy Christian Ministries. Many parents were delighted to learn that they qualified for bikes that were previously on a waiting list and not likely to receive one last year!”
Matt Kirk
President of Technical Consulting added, “Our long-standing relationship with SWCC has enabled us collectively to have a very positive impact in our local community and has helped us to be a key contributor to the MS 150 annual fundraising event. I have ridden the event annually since 2012 and with a family member affected by MS, take immense pride in what we have and continue to accomplish together.”
The Texas MS 150 is on April 29-30 - make sure to support Team Wood and all the other great volunteers. We can make a difference; this is why we ride!
Please use this link to donate to Team Wood:
Photo library
