North Shore Meat House to Host Fundraiser for American Lung Association's Trek Across Maine

On Father’s Day weekend, the American Lung Association of the Northeast will celebrate the 29th annual Trek Across Maine, with more than 2,000 cyclists taking off from Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry and finishing up at Steamboat Landing Park in Belfast. The event is the largest fundraiser for the nonprofit organization nationwide, raising $1.8 million in 2012, with a goal of $2 million for 2013.

Erika Frisby, General Manager of the North Shore Meat House of Beverly, will be riding for the first time in 2013. Her boyfriend, Patrick, also an avid cyclist, rode in the Trek last year and Erika wanted to find out what all the excitement was about for herself. “I consider myself pretty competitive,” said Frisby, “but I’ve never really challenged myself physically like this before. I want to see how well I can do and just really experience the whole weekend. Plus, it’s for a really great cause.”

Since registering for the Trek, Erika attends indoor spin classes to kick off her training since the weather was not amenable to outdoor cycling. With the weather finally warming up, Erika and Patrick have embarked on some long bike rides. On Easter Sunday, the two rode about 50 miles, about what trekkers ride per day on Trek weekend. Middleton bike shop, Woody’s Cyclery, has even generously donated a hybrid road bike for Erika to use.

Erika says that neighborhood butcher and grocer The Meat House, which prides itself on community involvement, wanted to support the team in any way that they could. In order to ride in the Trek Across Maine, each participant must raise at least $500. To help the team, made up of Erika, Meat House Assistant Manager Gregory Kurkjian, Meat House employee Amy Couture, and Amy’s boyfriend Patrick Taylor, The Meat House will host a fundraiser on May 11 in conjunction with their third anniversary celebration.

The event will feature a SPINathon by local fitness studio, Studio 13; a beer tasting by Depot Liquors; and 15 local vendors taking part in a Farmer’s Market. The North Shore Meat House will be raffling off a variety of great prizes throughout the day. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly towards The Meat House Trek Across Maine cycling team. In addition, The Meat House will be matching all money raised through sales of raffle tickets.

“We love when individuals and business find creative ways to fundraise for an event like our Trek Across Maine,” said Jeff Seyler, President & CEO of the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “Erika, The Meat House, and the community of North Beverly are really coming together in support of the Trek and the American Lung Association. They are putting together quite the event and we cannot wait to see it come to fruition.”

On Friday, June 14, more than 2,000 will leave from Sunday River Ski Resort and make the 180-mile Trek to Belfast. Cyclists come from all over the country to be a part of the weekend. All proceeds benefit the American Lung Association and help fund valuable research, education and advocacy.

To learn more about the Trek Across Maine, to register, or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit Biketreknewengland.org.

Click here to donate directly to the North Shore Meat House Trek Across Maine cycling team.

About the American Lung Association of the Northeast

The American Lung Association of the Northeast serves CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI and VT. We are part of the American Lung Association, the oldest voluntary health organization in the U.S. Established in 1904 to combat tuberculosis; our mission today is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The focus is on air quality, asthma, tobacco control, and all lung disease. www.LungNE.org