Palisadians Pedal for Bike MS: Coastal Challenge 2015

By JACQUELINE PRIMO | Reporter

Ella Zarky and Susan Payne, two Palisadian women, friends and frequent partners in volunteering for the homeless, will hit the road in the Bike MS: Coastal Challenge Santa Monica to Santa Barbara 2015 on Oct. 10-11.

Zarky and Payne will bike a combined 80 miles over the course of two days to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Zarky, who just celebrated her 89th birthday, has been riding in Bike MS on and off since 1983 and has singlehandedly raised nearly $145,000 over the course of 40 years for the National MS Society, she said.

This year, she has raised an additional $15,000, making her one of 2015 Bike MS’s top five participants.

“I feel better this year than I did last year,” said Zarky, who told the Post last year that 2014 would be her last year participating because of her age.

Clearly, approaching 90 years old has not slowed Zarky one bit.

Part of the reason she is so passionate about funding research for MS is because her niece and nephew were diagnosed in young adulthood with the debilitating disease, which affects the central nervous system and can cause fatigue and weakness at its mildest, with seizures, pain and hearing loss among its more severe symptoms.

“Ella tirelessly works to help feed the homeless, primarily at OPCC and Samoshel in Santa Monica. She picks up leftover bagels from Noah’s Bagels in the Palisades, leftover food from FOOD Café in Westwood, and caterers and other restaurants,” Payne said of Zarky’s interest’s in going back. “I met her when I asked Marge Gold who I could contact to pick up Scarlett’s Cupcakes [Payne’s former business in the Village, now closed]. Ella and I take about 80 pairs of socks to OPCC and Samoshel about every six to eight weeks to hand out to the homeless people,” Payne said.

“I was inspired by Ella to ride, and I inspired my friend Lorilynn Failor, who lives in Culver City, to ride with me. Ella is riding 30 miles and we are riding 50 miles on the coast and in the hills on Sunday, Oct. 11,” said Payne, now a realtor with RE/MAX Westside Properties.

Payne, Zarky and Failor also recently attended the 40th annual Dinner of Champions for the National MS Society on Aug. 27 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

“Ella was invited and offered a table for her and her friends. We three and Andrew Wilson, my husband, went to the event which was for the California and Nevada chapters,” Payne elaborated.

“As long as I can continue to make some dent, I’ll continue to do it,” Zarky told the Post.

To donate or for more information, visit: secure.nationalmssociety.org/site/SPageServer/?pagename=BIKE_HOM_splash.