Husband and wife duo pedaling to raise money for Texas Mamma Jamma Ride

On any given weekend, Leonor “Leo” and Hawk Harris are racking up the miles on their road bikes for fun and for good causes.

This year, the husband and wife duo will once again hit the streets of Taylor and ride 70 miles in support of the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride. The Texas Mamma Jamma Ride raises money to support the Lone Star Circle of Care’s Big Pink Bus, which is a mobile mammography program that provides services across Central Texas.

Leo’s mother was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer six years ago, so the ride holds a special meaning for her.

“We ride a lot and we have always liked the reason behind Mamma Jamma,” explains Leo, a training coordinator for our Environmental, Health and Safety team. “Helping women who do not have the means to perform exams and being able to provide early detection—I really love it and that's the reason why I started.”

When Samsung Austin Semiconductor became the Platinum sponsor of the event, the Harris’ knew they had to get involved. For Hawk, who also owns a bicycle shop in addition to working as a technician at Samsung Austin Semiconductor, the ride has been something he’s been involved with since it started.

“What I like about the event is the strong message for women,” says Hawk. “To me, it speaks volumes, the number of people that support it. It’s great to see the event evolve and with Samsung Austin Semiconductor and other sponsors, it continues to be a very successful event. It's probably one of my favorite events to support.”

While 70 miles might come easy to the couple, they offer words of encouragement to those who are just starting to pedal. The ride has four different routes, from 15 miles to 70 miles.

“When people say ‘I don’t have a bike, I don’t have a helmet,’ I'm like, ‘we'll get you a bike, we'll get you a helmet,’” says Leo, who is also serving as a team captain. “I'm always trying to engage and encourage people to do the ride.”

For those who can’t ride, the couple says donating and volunteering also make a big impact.

“If you want to be a rider, if you want to be a volunteer—to me, it's powerful. Either way, you're out there doing it for the cause and you're making those people at that stop feel important too, because they are excited,” adds Hawk.

Leo shares in that excitement because she knows she’s riding with a purpose.

“We all have a friend, a mother, a daughter, someone in our family who has been through this. The Big Pink Bus is what sells the whole event. Knowing that the bus goes to rural locations, goes to people who can’t afford to pay for a mammogram or don’t have insurance. That’s what we’re riding for."

As for Leo’s mother, she is now cancer-free thanks to a mammogram that discovered a lump six years ago.

“My mother-in-law, she's a fighter. The lady worked her heart out and we’re glad she’s here today,” says Hawk.

As a Platinum sponsor of the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride, we’re amplifying our employees’ fundraising by offering a 2-to-1 match. We’re also hosting fundraisers on campus and encouraging employees to volunteer at the event.

Last year, our team was the third top fundraising team and our employee, Bobbi Black, was the second top fundraiser.