The Great Cycle Challenge
Hartsville City Councilmember and Butler Heritage Foundation boardmember Kenzie “Pete” Delaney stands between the shirts he has accumulated from his years of participating in the Great Cycle Challenge. The Great Cycle Challenge is presented each year to raise funds to fight childhood cancer. PHOTO BY STEPHAN DREW
By Stephan Drew, Editor
Hartsville City Councilmember Kenzie Pete Delaine has been riding in the Great Cycle Challenge for 3 years now and he’s doing pretty well. Out of 33,664 riders this year, Delaine placed at #166. Not bad at all for a smalltown figure. The event is held each year to raise money in support of fighting childhood cancer. Over 15,700 children are diagnosed every year and 38 die every week. The money these riders raise goes directly to the Childrens Cancer Research Fund, allowing them to continue their work, developing lifesaving treatments and striving to find a cure.
The Children’s Research Fund started the Great Cycle Challenge in 2015 and they have raised nearly 53 million dollars for the cause. In 2018, Delaine joined the challenge and rode 134 miles, raising $2,717. He wasn’t able to ride in 2019 or 2020 but, in 2021 he formed a team of 7 riders (including himself) and called them the “Unknown Public Figures”. In September of this year, along with Dr. Jennifer Heusel (formerly of Coker University), they rode and raised over $5,300, competing with teams from California and Colorado.
Delaine, who represents District #1 in Hartsville, and is also a boardmember for the Butler Heritage Foundation, described what they saw on their journey across the states. “I would see a lot of people sitting on the porch,” he said, “That began to bug me. I said, ‘Why are they not moving around?’” He supports activity, to whatever degree possible. “Even if you just walk around the yard, move,” he stated.
However, along the way, there have been setbacks as well. A bout with COVID, scheduling conflicts, and the death of a close friend, Dominic Avery, made things difficult. But, Delaine says he is determined to continue to ride, for his friend, for his health and, most of all, for the children. This year alone, the Great Cycle Challenge raised nearly 11 million dollars. Please support worthy causes like these.
