Team Troll

Team Troll, a group of cyclists who are raising awareness and money for Parkinson’s research at Van Andel Institute. Team Troll originated several years ago when a group of friends went smelt dipping and trout fishing at the Mackinac Bridge. Some locals dubbed the group trolls because they spent so much time under the bridge. Until 2010, Team Troll was a group of people that had a common interest in hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors. When Scott found out that his dad had Parkinson’s, he saw an opportunity to take the team’s focus in a more serious and purposeful direction. Van Andel Institute is quickly becoming a globally recognized research facility and already working on PD research, so the partnership was a natural fit for Team Troll. VAI also recently recruited Dr. Patrik Brundin, an internationally renowned expert in the field of Parkinson’s. Team Troll is biking to raise awareness, which Scott hopes will translate into dollars being donated to VAI for their research. The 2012 team currently is comprised of 10 cycling enthusiasts of varying skill and experience who will ride at various events and races throughout 2012. By attending these events, they will promote their fundraising effort for research at VAI. They will also be securing corporate sponsors to help offset the cost of their cycling jerseys (the personal billboards used to market their campaign) and entry fees to the various events.