SEARSMONT — For the fifth year, Searsmont resident John Strassenreiter participated in the annual Great Cycle Challenge, which started in 2015. 

The month-long fundraiser is a way to raise money via cycling to raise money to fight kids’ cancer. 

Through the first four years, the challenge has raised more than $16 million to develop better treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer, according to its website. Cyclists in all 50 states combined for over 12 million miles in the challenge’s first four years. 

Strassenreiter’s largest motivating factor is his niece, Kelly Rogers, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer at age four. Strassenreiter noted Rogers had a second surgery and chemotherapy for cancer in her other kidney as a teenager and is currently engaged with a wedding on the horizon in 2020. 

Strassenreiter himself is a two-time cancer survivor. 

“When I was treated for two different cancers I saw the kids at Memorial Sloan Hospital in NYC and couldn’t help but think of Kelly,” he stated. “[W]hen this Challenge came along in 2015, I just knew it would be the perfect thing for me to do to help raise awareness of kids cancer.” 

During this year’s challenge, Strassenreiter rode 459.7 miles and raised $1,250.03 to fight childhood cancer. 

Strassenreiter cycled this year as a member of Team Nat, a collective group of cyclists who raised over $1.2 million and logged over 400,000 miles, and as a member of Callie’s Crew, a collective group of cyclists who raised nearly $40,000 and logged over 10,000 miles. 

His challenge this year was also dedicated to his nephew, Seany Rogers, who has fought numerous medical issues since childhood and to former students Kevin Lynch and Leanne Kozak, who recently lost their respective battles with leukemia and melanoma. 

John Strassenreiter’s Great Cycle Challenge Rides
June 1: 12.9 miles around Searsmont
June 1: 2.4 miles around Deering Park in Portland
June 1: 10.4 miles 
June 2: 5.1 miles around Falmouth
June 2: 4.6 miles around Yarmouth
June 3: 12 miles around Searsmont
June 4: 4.6 miles around Quantabacook Lake
June 4: 6.1 miles around Searsport
June 5: 11.2 miles 
June 6: 6.8 miles from Searsmont to Appleton
June 6: 13.1 miles on the Belfast Rail to Trail
June 7: 12.1 miles around Searsmont
June 8: 13.7 miles on the Belfast Rail to Trail
June 8: 3.7 miles around Falmouth
June 9: 13 miles from Falmouth to Portland and Mackworth Island
June 10: 12.1 miles from Falmouth to Yarmouth
June 10: 2.4 miles 
June 10: 12.1 miles from Falmourth to Yarmouth
June 10: 5.1 miles around Searsmont
June 11: 4.7 miles around Searsmont
June 11: 10 miles around Searsmont
June 12: 12.6 miles on the Belfast Rail to Trail
June 13: 16.7 miles around Searsmont
June 14: 12.2 miles from Belfast to Northport
June 15: 12 miles around Belfast
June 16: 10.4 miles from Searsmont to Hope
June 16: 3.3 miles from Searsmont to Belmont Corners
June 17: 14.1 miles around Searsmont
June 18: 21.3 miles from Belmont to Belfast Rail to Trail
June 19: 12.7 miles around Belfast
June 20: 22.2 miles from Morrill to Waldo and Belfast
June 21: 6.6 miles around Freeport
June 21: 5.2 miles around Portland
June 22: 10.5 miles around Portland
June 22: 6.1 miles from South Portland to Portland
June 22: 7.8 miles from Falmouth to Mackworth Island
June 23: 10.5 miles around Falmouth
June 24: 6.1 miles around Long Island, New York
June 24: 2.9 miles around Long Island, New York
June 24: 3.1 miles around Long Island, New York
June 25: 12.7 miles around Long Island, New York
June 25: 2.9 miles around Long Island, New York
June 26: 13.1 miles around Long Island, New York
June 26: 5.2 miles around Long Island, New York
June 27: 10.6 miles around Long Island, New York
June 28: 14.3 miles around Long Island, New York
June 29: 12.9 miles around Long Island, New York
June 30: 4.3 miles around Long Island, New York
June 30: 9.6 miles around Searsmont

Reach George Harvey at: sports@penbaypilot.com.