My daughter, Marena, and I were fortunate enough to ride in the Dempsey Challenge on Oct. 18. I am writing to express my thanks to the awesome volunteer force, and the people of Lewiston in general.

I recently lost my step-mother to lung cancer. I have done a bunch of walks and bike rides through the years. All of them were great experiences. The volunteers at the Dempsey Challenge made it the best. It was a cold and windy day for a 50-mile bike ride, but the enthusiasm of the volunteers and the many citizens cheering for us along the way made our day very special.

You should all be very proud of yourselves. I can’t stop talking about my experience. I can’t wait for next year.

Thank you for all that you did.

Rick Bach, York