My name is Gage Beck, a sophomore at Western Kentucky University majoring in finance with a focus on personal financial planning. I am serving as the Alumni & Parent Donor Relations position for Bike4Alz Team 15. At WKU, I am a part of Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) and within my chapter I serve as part of our mental health committee. Outside of that, I am on the morale committee for Dance Big Red which is another philanthropy organization on campus.
I first heard about Bike4Alz from before I transferred to WKU and became involved with my chapter and on campus. I always had a dream about being a part of the team but I never had any thoughts that it would one day come true. The more that I started doing for others and myself, I began to see that door open up more and more each day. Being around guys who have previously been on the trip, and hearing their stories and times when they would meet the people that their efforts are going to were moments where I truly understood the impact of Bike4Alz and how much it helps the cause. My biggest regret would have been to not apply at all, so I knew I had to try my best to give back to my community and to the many families who don’t have an outreach to help.
Though I don’t have much of a deep connection to Alzheimer’s or Dementia, I have watched families close to me fight this disease, which inspires me to give everything I have for them and continue to make me dedicate everything for them. Even families and stories that I haven’t heard, they deserve to have a voice and advocate for them. Growing up around church and being a believer has given me the duty and obligation to use my position to help the people who need it.
Through this journey of Bike4Alz, I make it my mission to be someone who makes a difference in the lives of those affected and to be a beacon of hope and support for the families involved. I cannot put into words how humbled and eager that I am to hear about stories and meet face-to-face with people along our way throughout the country. With your support behind us, Team 15 and I can raise awareness and contribute our efforts to meaningful research to silence Alzheimer’s for good.
