Norma Foster Memorial event donates $21,000 to Institute’s cancer research

Dean Foster, (center) husband of the late Norma Foster, presents a $21,000 donation for cancer research Tuesday, Aug. 18, to The Hormel Institute’s Executive Director Dr. Zigang Dong. The money was raised from the 4th annual Norma Foster Memorial “Ride for a Reason” event July 18 in Riceville, IA. Some of Norma’s family members attended the presentation, including (left to right) Stacey Losee, Lawson Losee, Kelsey Duncomb, Judge Losee, Stephanie Scholbrock, Saydey Scholbrock and Delaney Scholbrock.

More than 100 motorcycles taking a trip this summer through northern Iowa has led to a $21,000 donation to support cancer research at The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota.

Family members who organized the 4th annual Norma Foster Memorial “Ride for a Reason” out of Riceville, Iowa, presented this year’s gift – a record amount for the fundraiser – this past week to The Hormel Institute’s Executive Director Dr. Zigang Dong. It was the second-consecutive year that “Ride for a Reason” funds were dedicated to support The Hormel Institute’s world-renowned research into better ways to prevent, detect and control cancer.
Every July since 2012, “Ride for a Reason” has honored the memory of Norma Foster, a Riceville, Iowa, resident, who died in 2011 at age 55 following a two-year battle with breast cancer.

“Our ride honors an amazing and wonderful woman who would’ve loved to have been involved with this,” said her husband, Dean Foster. “It’s all worth it if we can raise and donate money that saves just one person from this horrible disease we call cancer.”
This year’s “Ride for a Reason” on July 18 drew about 250 participants who rode motorcycles, classic cars and in a bus decorated with pink ribbons and messages. The nearly eight-hour trip started in Riceville and covered nearly 100 miles through numerous towns in the northern Iowa area where Norma grew up and lived. The ride then returned to Riceville for a dinner and auction.
Last year, Dean Foster and his family designated The Hormel Institute’s cancer research as the recipient of the “Ride for a Reason” fundraising, leading to a $16,100 donation in 2014. Overall, “Ride for a Reason” now has donated more than $37,000 to The Hormel Institute and raised about $71,000 overall in four years for cancer research.

Dr. Zigang Dong thanked the Foster family for its extensive efforts to raise support and awareness for The Hormel Institute’s cutting-edge cancer research.
“Community support such as this is vital for ensuring that progress continues to be made in the fight against this devastating disease,” Dong said. “We are deeply honored to have this exceptional support and trust from the Foster family – a wonderful group of people who certainly understand that research is the only answer to cancer.”

The Foster family already has the 5th annual “Ride for a Reason” set for July 16, 2016, in Riceville.
As with any gift to The Hormel Institute, 100 percent of the “Ride for a Reason” funds will directly support cancer research