5th Annual "Rock the Ride" to benefit St. John's Health Foundation

All ages and fitness levels are invited to participate in the 5th Annual "Rock the Ride," a high-energy, indoor team cycling fundraiser hosted by VIM to benefit the St. John’s Health Foundation Stroke and Cardiac Fund for local patients. Groups of up to four riders can ride hard, hardly ride, sing, dance, and party into the afternoon all for a great cause. Held on Sunday, March 8th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, the event will take place at Teton Science Schools.

“Rock the Ride is compelling, largely due to the number of people in our community who have been impacted by stroke,” said (former) Foundation President John Goettler. “We are grateful to past riders and fundraisers for their support and enthusiasm, especially Julie Guttormson, who founded this event and owns local fitness studio VIM. Last year, their impressive efforts raised $100,000 to benefit the Stroke and Cardiac Fund.”

Guttormson experienced a stroke herself in 2006, at the age of 31. A vibrant, active athlete who enjoyed skiing, running, and cycling, she had lived in Jackson for only a year when she suffered a stroke from three blood clots in her brain.

She was lucky enough to walk away healthy and had health insurance coverage. Her full recovery included completing an Ironman triathlon and launching her fitness business. Because not everyone has the same fortunate outcome, Rock the Ride was born, as Guttormson’s personal way to celebrate health, give back to the community, and celebrate another year in business.

"I had the idea of this event in my mind from the day I opened the studio almost eight years ago. I knew that bringing fun and fitness together are what we do best, and based on my own experience, I had a platform to help make a difference in people’s lives right here in our community,” said Guttormson. “I'm grateful to the St. John's Health Foundation for helping to bring Rock the Ride to life."

Rock the Ride will include entertainment, energizing music, fabulous giveaways, great food, and of course plenty of coffee! Prizes will be awarded to the teams with the highest mileage, highest fundraising total, most spirit, best costumes, and more.

Advance registration for “Rock the Ride” is required, due to limited space. To sign up, go to p2p.onecause.com/rtr20.

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Media Contact: Karen Connelly, Chief Communications Officer, kconnelly@stjohns.health

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION

The mission of the St. John’s Health Foundation is to secure philanthropic support to advance the mission and strategic objectives of St. John’s Health, including patient-centered care, clinical excellence, and community wellness. For more information about the Foundation, please call 307.739.7512.

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S HEALTH

St. John's Health in Jackson, Wyoming, offers patient-centered clinical excellence and community wellness services through a full-service hospital, primary care, and specialty physician practices, and a long-term care Living Center.

ABOUT STROKE

If you have symptoms of a stroke, contact emergency services right away. General symptoms of a stroke include:

• Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.
• Sudden vision changes
• Sudden trouble speaking
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple statements
• Sudden problems with walking or balance
• A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches

FAST is a simple way to remember the main symptoms of stroke. Recognizing these symptoms helps you know when to call for medical help. FAST stands for:

• Face drooping
• Arm weakness
• Speech difficulty
• Time to call emergency services