Dr. David M. (Doc) Piltz has worked with individuals with disabilities for over 30 years and has been riding motorcycles even longer. He’s often wondered how he could tie his love of riding to his work with the disabled community and his desire to support those people who crave their personal independence.
He is currently combining the two for the first time, on a ride to Washington, DC.
Home page photo: Dr. David Piltz, right, executive director of United Cerebral Palsy of West Central Wisconsin in Eau Claire, will be riding to Washington, D.C. with his wife, Mary Kay Piltz, and close friend, Tim Doffing. Not pictured is Paul Shetka who will be driving a support truck in case of emergency. All are members of the St. Paul HOG Chapter in St. Paul, Minnesota
Piltz, executive director of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of West Central Wisconsin, is part of a three-person motorcycle team that is riding from Lake Hallie on a 2,524 mile round trip “Life Without Limits Ride2DC” to Washington, DC. The riders are scheduled to return by noon next Saturday (Sept. 10). Piltz is joined by his wife, Mary Kay Piltz, and a close friend, Tim Doffing.
Piltz said the idea for the ride came to him while he was driving home and listening to a story about a nonprofit executive who planned to climb Mount Everest to raise money for his agency.
“I haven’t got the skills or ability to climb a mountain to support my agency or consumers, but I would gladly ride my Electra Glide for that reason,” Piltz said. “I know that people with disabilities have daily needs that will never go away, but the support for those people from the government, as well as other public and private agencies, continues to dwindle.”
Donations Sought
Piltz said he is hoping that donations for the operation of UCP of West Central Wisconsin will be made through per mile pledges on behalf of the individual riders or by specific donations. He noted that a pledge of one cent per mile for the trip would bring in about $25.
Local Harley owner’s groups at each designated stop on the route will be notified of the ride and members will be informed about a “ride along” opportunity that will help the fund-raising aspect of the trip.
The round trip ride’s itinerary calls for it to make four stops on its way east: in Madison, WI, Springfield, IL, Cincinnati, OH; and Johnstown, PA., and winding up at the UCP national office in Washington, DC. At each stop, Piltz will meet with the staff and board from a local UCP Affiliate to highlight the Ride and its purpose.
The return trip will be made as quickly as possible, in order to be back in time for West Central Wisconsin UCP’s 15th annual “Win-a-Harley” raffle at Sport Motors Harley-Davidson in Lake Hallie. This year’s prize, donated by the dealer, is an olive gold 22016 Harley-Davidson Street Glide bike.
Public funding to assist people with disabilities is decreasing steadily and there is an “ever increasing reliance on the nonprofit sector to provide the services that these individuals need,” Piltz said.
Ride’s Purpose: Raise Funds, Awareness
“The purpose of the Ride2DC is to raise money for UCP of West Central Wisconsin, but more importantly, to raise public awareness of the needs of people with disabilities at a time when budgets for services to this population are shrinking,” Piltz said. “We hope to have additional bikers donate and ride segments with us along the way to show support for the Ride2DC and the people that we serve.”
Piltz has served as the Executive Director of United Cerebral Palsy of West Central Wisconsin (UCP) since 2012 and has over 25 years’ experience serving individuals with disabilities. Before joining UCP, he was the director of organizational development for Accessible Space, Inc., a national nonprofit based in St. Paul and involved in developing and operating accessible, affordable housing with supportive care services for the frail elderly and for individuals with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injuries.
Piltz is a head injury survivor (not the result of a bike accident) and has ridden motorcycles for over 45 years. In addition to his work at UCP, he is the director of the St. Paul Harley-Davidson HOG Chapter and has been a road captain with the chapter for seven years.
Doffing is a senior network engineer for St. Jude Medical in St. Paul and has been with the company – a major manufacturer of medical equipment benefitting people with a variety of disabilities – for over eight years. Mary Kay Piltz is a technical trainer at Centerpoint Energy, an electric and natural gas utility.
United Cerebral Palsy of West Central Wisconsin (UCP) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the independence, productivity and citizenship of people with disabilities and supports their full inclusion in all aspects of life and the community. This is accomplished through an array of programs and services that support and encourage independence and inclusion for children and adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities, as well as programs to support children, adults and families that contend with these disabilities on a daily basis.
To learn more about the ride and or to make a donation, visit the Life Without Limits Ride 2 D.C. website at www.ucp-ride2dc.com or its Facebook Page (Life Without Limits Ride 2 D.C.). Donations can also be mailed to United Cerebral Palsy of West Central Wisconsin, Life Without Limits Ride 2 D. C., 206 Water St., Eau Claire, 54703.