Four Kilkenny men set off today on a 5000km race across America, all to raise money for the Aspect Unit in Kilkenny.
Team Aspect comprises of Pat Maher, John Dowd, Seamus Nash and Cathal Phillips, who all live in Kilkenny and a large number of support staff who will help them along their mammoth journey.
Team Aspect are the RAI (Race Around Ireland) 2017 winning team. The RAI is a non-stop endurance cycle race around Ireland which we competed in and won against pro teams, despite their amateur status.
The RACE ACROSS AMERICA (RAAM) starts from Oceanside, California on the west coast to Annapolis, Maryland on the east coast.
Their goal is to complete this race in the fastest time possible and continue to support the Aspect Unit Kilkenny.
The Aspect Unit’s day service was formally opened in 2013 to provide specialised day services to adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability in the Kilkenny area. Aspect operates under SOS Kilkenny which has charity status and was set up in the 1960s to provide supports to people with intellectual disabilities, both day and residential. The Aspect Centre is close to our hearts as our team member Cathal Phillips twin sons Charlie and Mathew, both attend and benefit from its services, thus our involvement with the organisation.
The Aspect Unit rely largely on funding from various charities and fundraising events in order to provide these therapeutic and counselling services. As such, it gave us great satisfaction to be proud members of Team Aspect for Race Around Ireland 2017 (the 4-person team category Champions) who raised in excess of 8000 euro for the Aspect Unit in the process.
If you wish to donate to the cause you can do so here – https://www.teamaspect.ie/donate/
You can track the lads on the cycle here as well – https://www.raceacrossamerica.org/live-tracking.html