Dear Friends and Family,

This year I'm joining Team Cote at the Tour de Pier, an event that brings cycling enthusiasts together on the Manhattan Beach Strand to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research, the Cancer Support Community South Bay, and the Uncle Kory Foundation.

I'm riding in honor of Nick Cote, and I want to take a moment to tell you why.

Nick is the kind of person who makes you want to be better. As a professional tennis instructor, he doesn't just teach the game, he teaches you something about yourself. Patience. Grit. And the belief that you are capable of more than you think. He has a rare gift for helping people discover that within themselves and it is powerful. Even so, it's who he is off the court that truly leaves a mark. Nick lives his values out loud, showing up for others with an open heart, traveling year after year to Guatemala to serve communities in need, and meeting every single day with gratitude and faith.

And now Nick is facing stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

When I heard the news, my heart broke. And then I watched how Nick responded, and it broke open in a completely different way. He continues to radiate the same warmth, strength, and grace that has always defined him. In the face of something so devastating, he is still teaching all of us how to live.

That's why I'm riding. For Nick. For everyone fighting this disease. And for the researchers working every day to change what this diagnosis means for future families.

If his story moves you, please consider making a donation, any amount makes a difference. And if you'd like to join us on the Strand, we'd be honored to have you.

Let's ride in place and move charity forward - together.

With gratitude,
Bernice