Athletes - under construction
Donations made on behalf of an athlete will be directly sent to The Seeing Eye, Inc.
Jim Freiss
Founder
Jim founded Puppy Ride Long Island in 2020, to honor and remember his late brother John, John's guide dog, Hero and to give back to the organization that did so much for John. Jim's mission is to continue to help others who are sight impaired by raising awareness and donations for The Seeing Eye, Inc.
This Seeing Eye, Inc. has an incredibly passionate team of employees and volunteers that deliver dignity and mobility to the blind through their guide dog foundation! Jim is "all in" and competes in ultra-distance events to support the cause. Many of Jim's puppy ride events are mapped out by hand, and involve the love and support of his friends and family.
Previous Events for the Puppies:
2018 - Zion 100 ultramarathon, UT
2020 - Solo Puppy Ride, across NY
2021 - Washington, DC to Pittsburg, PA Puppy Ride
2022 - Cincinnati, OH to Cleveland, OH Puppy Ride
2023 - Niagara Falls, NY to Long Island, NY Puppy Ride
2023 - Moab 240 ultramarathon, UT
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
2025 - Poughkeepsie, NY Puppy Ride
2025 - Cocodona 250 ultramarathon, AZ
Barbara McCoy
Barbara is no stranger to athletic endeavors or to fundraising. She has been a strong supporter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in honor of her late mother and the Michael J Fox Foundation, as her loving husband battles Parkinson's disease. In 2021, Barbara and Pat adopted Hunter, a change in career companion dog from The Seeing Eye, Inc. Hunter is a precious Golden Retriever who, as my husband’s companion, has become a beloved member of their family.
Previous Events for the Puppies
2021 - Washington, DC to Pittsburg, PA Puppy Ride
2022 - Cincinnati, OH to Cleveland, OH Puppy Ride
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
Bill Gironda
When Bill first learned of The Seeing Eye, Inc.'s mission, he was touched by how they breed, raise and train exceptional guide dogs and by care and love each puppy receives before being matched with a recipient. As an avid runner and cyclist, Bill was eager to join the team in 2023 and help support the organization.
Previous Events for the Puppies:
2023 - Niagara Falls, NY to Long Island, NY Puppy Ride
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
2025 - Poughkeepsie, NY Puppy Ride
Bill Ude
Bill joined Puppy Ride Long Island in 2021. Bill is an avid traveler and cyclist. He was moved by stories Jim told of his brother John and had the pleasure of meeting John's guide dog, Hero. Bill feels very fortunate to be healthy and have the ability to help others.
Previous cycling event for the Puppies:
2021 - Washington, DC to Pittsburg, PA Puppy Ride
2022 - Cincinnati, OH to Cleveland, OH Puppy Ride
2023 - Niagara Falls, NY to Long Island, NY Puppy Ride
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
Glenn Morse
Glenn has been participating in multi-day and across state bike rides for over 40 years, including several fundraisers for the South Dakota Lung Association. He joined Puppy Ride Long Island in 2022 in support of The Seeing Eye, Inc. the premiere guide dog training organization in the country. Participating in these rides allows Glenn to combine his passion for cycling while contributing to the great work being done by The Seeing Eye.
Previous Events for the Puppies:
2022 - Cincinnati, OH to Cleveland, OH Puppy Ride
2023 - Niagara Falls, NY to Long Island, NY Puppy Ride
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
2025 - Poughkeepsie, NY Puppy Ride
Jay Ratto
Jay got involved with Puppy Ride Long Island to honor and remember Jim's late brother John, his guide dog Hero and to support an organization that did so much for him. Jay is an triathlete and has completed three Ironman competitions. He respects the work The Seeing Eye does to help others who are sight impaired like John and enjoys the challenge of a multi-day bike adventure.
Previous Events for the Puppies:
2021 - Washington, DC to Pittsburg, PA Puppy Ride
2022 - Cincinnati, OH to Cleveland, OH Puppy Ride
2023 - Niagara Falls, NY to Long Island, NY Puppy Ride
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
2025 - Poughkeepsie, NY Puppy Ride
Kate and David Mickle
This event and The Seeing Eye, Inc. are dear to Kate and David's hearts. They witnessed first-hand how their brother John’s life dramatically improved with his seeing eye dog, Hero. While family obligations have prevented them from riding, they love that they can help raise funds and awareness for the generous organization.
The bonus is that they can support and cheer Jim and the Puppy Ride Long Island team!
Kevin Green
Kevin is thrilled to support Puppy Ride Long Island as the main Support and Gear (SAG) driver. Not only does he drive along with the team with all their gear and nutritional needs, he also puts in countless hours helping the riders find the next best spot to rest and eat and to make sure they are well cared for throughout the ride.
Previous Events for the Puppies:
2022 - Cincinnati, OH to Cleveland, OH Puppy Ride
2023 - Niagara Falls, NY to Long Island, NY Puppy Ride
2024 - Boston, MA to New Brunswick, Canada Puppy Ride
2025 - Poughkeepsie, NY Puppy Ride
Michele Kelly
Michele is overjoyed to finally be able to participate in Puppy Ride Long Island. She is good friends with many of the riders, so it seemed like a natural fit for her to join the team. Michele has been cycling for years—tackling long-distance rides, jumping in for early morning spins before work and soaking in the connection and community that riding brings. This time, the ride is about helping others experience something many take for granted—freedom. A seeing eye dog can change someone’s entire world, giving them independence, confidence, and the ability to move through life with more ease and possibility. Being part of making that happen? That’s what makes this ride matter to Michele.
Victor Fassano
I was fortunate enough to meet Jim Freiss a few years ago. He told me stories of his brother John and what a difference Hero, his guide dog made in his life. The stories moved me so much that I wanted to help. Now I’m here helping to raise money for The Seeing Eye!
Previous Events for the Puppies:
Boston to Canada - 2024
Niagara Falls to Long Island - 2023
Cincinnati to Cleveland - 2022
Washington to Pittsburgh - 2021
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Rick Chapman
logistics co-captain
In 2024, Puppy Ride Long Island stopped on their way across New York State for lunch in Rick's hometown, Lockport. Together with a few of his family members, they put together a picnic lunch for the riders. During lunch, Rick met and talked with all of the riders and was very impressed with their dedication and passion for The Seeing Eye, Inc. Rick has been a volunteer with many organizations and is a proud active member of the National Ski Patrol for the past 45+ years.
He was thrilled to start a mountain bike first aid patrol and saw a natural fit to be SAG support for the puppy riders.
Miriam Fein
I have been an avid ultramarathon runner for many years, running distances up to and including 100 miles, which is how I met Jim Freiss, who I lovingly refer to as my “running dad”. I have been privileged to support him on some of his (crazy) endeavors, and he has always been a tremendous inspiration for me. Although cycling was never my sport, I have dealt with several serious injuries over the last few years and more than my share of surgeries, which has restricted my ability to run. I finally decided to take the leap and purchase a new bicycle, knowing that I wanted to join the Puppy Ride this year. I’m excited to be a part of this incredible team and help raise money for a wonderful cause that means so much to Jim- and therefore means so much to me.