This is a huge weekend for my agency, Zimmerman Advertising. The 2010 Zimmerman MS Bike Ride will take place on Saturday and Sunday from Miami to Key Largo and back again. And when I say huge, I mean HUGE! This year’s event is expected to be bigger than ever before with more than 3,000 participating riders. It’s also expected to raise more money than ever before with a fundraising goal of $2 million.

How did Zimmerman come to not only be involved in this event but to actually be the title sponsor? Several years ago, we were looking for something that would inspire and rally our associates. So many people that we know and love have been tragically stricken with MS that it seemed like the perfect fit when we came across the MS Society and its annual charity bike ride.

A group of 40 riders decided to sign up and give it a go the first year. And now, just five years later, that team has grown to nearly 600 members! Zimmerman’s team, zMotion, is now the largest team in the ride every year. We have raised over $1.8 MILLION year-to-date in the fight against MS and for other charitable causes.

Somewhere along the way to reaching that milestone, something strange happened. When we started out, we figured the least we could do was to give something back to the community that’s been so good to us. Little did we know how much we would actually get back in return.

zMotion is named after a company creed that motivates and inspires our associates to be their personal and professional best. Not only is it a way for associates to give of themselves and give back to the community, but it’s also turned into a wellness goal for the entire agency. We have year-round training camps throughout South Florida for every ability level. Some associates have lost weight and seen a dramatic decline in serious health problems. They have more energy and better attitudes. We’ve actually measured a 26 percent DECREASE in employee sick days since zMotion’s inception and a marked increase in overall employee morale!!

The gift of health is one of the best gifts you can give – or get. zMotion started out as a way to raise money to help find a cure for MS. In the process, it inspired an entire agency to live healthier lives. Ours is a rallying cry that can be heard throughout the agency and the South Florida community as a whole:

We ride to raise money in the fight against MS.
We ride to live healthy and enjoy life.
We ride because we care.
And we ride because we can.
We call it zMotion.

Join us!!!!