We are Rosi Rodriguez and Perry Pedersen, wife-and-husband, who know firsthand how dancing and bicycling make the world a happier, healthier place. We also know firsthand about two dance-hindering, bike-hindering diseases – MS (multiple sclerosis) and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). So although we’ve been MS Society fundraisers since 1997, two subsequent events compelled us to create Pedal & Swing, and to include both the ALS New Mexico and the MS Society in our fundraising activities. In April 2013, Rosi’s son, Erik, was diagnosed with MS. The year prior to Erik's diagnosis, Carolyn, a woman responsible for bringing our neighborhood together, was diagnosed with ALS. And in early 2015, a dance pal, Eleanor, was also diagnosed with ALS.

Mission

The Pedal & Swing mission is to facilitate donations by participating in National MS Society and ALS New Mexico fundraising activities, including biking ("Pedal") and dancing ("Swing") events. Donations made to the National MS Society and to the ALS New Mexico are used to assist those affected by these neurodegenerative diseases, and to support the research necessary for finding effective treatments and cures.