Copyright 2003 MediaNews Group, Inc.
Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT)
June 27, 2003 Friday
SECTION: LOCAL/REGIONAL NEWS
LENGTH: 388 words
BYLINE: By SEAN O'HARA

DERBY - Eight years after losing her husband to Lou Gehrig's disease, Betsy Seabury, a city school teacher, is gearing up for a tri-state bike trek in honor of her late husband.

Seabury, 51, along with her cousin, Jan Healy, are training to participate in the 250-mile bike ride from Boston to White Plains, N.Y.

Seabury has been a teacher at Bradley School for 30 years.

The trek, known as Project ALS, will begin on July 18 in Newton, Mass. before stopping at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The 30 participants will then begin the second leg on July 19 and stop at Southern Connecticut University in New Haven before finishing the trek with a ride through Derby.

The ultimate goal is to arrive at White Plains High School on July 20.

ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is another name for Lou Gehrig's disease. It's a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor skills in the spinal cord and brain.

"I'm dong this as a tribute to Tom Seabury, my husband who died in 1995 of this disease that has no cure," Seabury said.

Seabury said she learned about the bike ride from her cousin and was hesitant to participate until she discovered it was for the disease.

"I think the toughest thing about this trek will be the hills of Connecticut but we have been practicing on the hills of Derby and Milford to get ready," she said.

Mat Mendel, the event organizer, said this year's trek coincides with Lou Gehrig's 100th birthday. He said the grassroots organization supports neural stem cell replacement research.

Lee Williamson, Seabury's husband, said he would volunteer his time by offering medical services and driving a support vehicle behind the riders.

"This is something that she felt she had to do in order to give back something to the people that supported her when her husband suffered from the disease," Williamson said.

Williamson said he was trying to "drum up support" in Derby for when she rides through the city.

Seabury also lost her 19-month-old son to cancer in 1984.

The organization's goal is to raise $32,000.

Anyone interested in donating can send checks to Betsy Seabury, 22 Grove Ave., Derby, 06418 or Jan Healy, 1A Seaview Ave., Unit 3, Milford, 06460.