Hopkins 4K for Cancer

November 27, 2005

Hope Lodge Thanksgiving
The 4K is Back!!!!!

Yes, the rumors are true, the riders for the 2006 Hopkins 4K for Cancer team are officially here! We’re a diverse group with engineers, medical students, high school and elementary teachers and even a few turtle enthusiasts. However, we all share an overwhelming enthusiasm for the next few months at Hope Lodge, the summer to come and spandex (ok, well, maybe that’s just me).

The new team is off and running this year, having already made several amazing trips down to our home away from home, the Baltimore Hope Lodge. This past week was our traditional Thanksgiving feast, which was made even more special because of the presence of a few of our “out-of-towners” who made the trek into Baltimore for this special event. Katie R., after a few tense moments concerning boxed mashed potatoes, headed the cooking of a delicious dinner of two turkeys, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, carrots, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and yes, real mashed potatoes.

We are continuing to meet more of the Hope Lodge residents and I think one thing every rider can agree on is that we truly cherish the time we spend at Hope Lodge. The atmosphere is one of love, hope and laden with the desire to brighten the spirits of everyone around you. One thing I’m not sure if the residents really know is that they brighten our day as much as they tell us we brighten theirs. For some of us, this was an introduction to the world of Hope Lodge and the true spirit of the Hopkins 4K, for some it was a welcome back to an atmosphere they’ve been missing for too long and for some it was a continuation of dedication to a place so close to our hearts. I’m sure all could agree though, that the visit was a special and moving experience, whether it was your first or fortieth.

This weekend also brought some excitement as the team met some riders from outside the Johns Hopkins University. Special thanks to Jessica, Nicole and Emma for spending the time to travel from as far away as Ithaca, NY to share Thanksgiving with us Hopkins riders. The highlight of the weekend may have been Garrett Butler gnawing on what we think was a chicken neck, or perhaps meeting four pet turtles. Thankfully, Jessica has chronicled these moments with her ever-present camera, and hopefully some of these pictures will make it to this website as well.

Thanks to everyone at Hope Lodge, riders and residents, and I look forward to even more good times.




-Joe Siegel