Creating CowaLUNGa: How a Love of Riding Turned into a Fundraiser for Lung Health

April 22, 2026

Howard Levy and Niki Bartosiak have known each other for a long time, more than 30 years. But it was Howard who saw a tiny ad for the 1985 Respiratory Health Association event called Bicycling Across the Magnificent Miles of Illinois (BAMMI) Ride in Bicycling magazine. After participating in the seven-day ride, he enjoyed it so much that he decided to volunteer. He joined the event committee and started getting involved in planning the bike route for the event.

Niki started volunteering for RHA as well. She recalls volunteering with her sister at the Chicago Distance Classic, a former RHA fundraising event, and helping Howard work on his bike route plans for BAMMI as well.

Imagining a New Ride

In early 1996, CEO John Kirkwood asked Howard to propose a new route for a new three-day bike event. After 15 years of BAMMI, he wanted a new bike ride that was shorter and easier for staff to organize. Board member Bob Soderstrum wanted the ride to involve Camp Action, a summer camp for children with asthma located in Hubertus, WI. Howard had always enjoyed riding along the hilly country roads in southern Wisconsin. So, he mapped a route that would give riders the same experience he loved and made sure to conclude the ride on Day 3 at Camp Action.

Then they needed a name for the new event.

During a brainstorming over breakfast with Niki at a local restaurant, Howard recalls ideas such as “Lungapalooza” and “Lung Me Tender” and then Howard said “CowaLUNGa.”

“And that was it, there was no more discussion. That’s what we were going to present,” he remembers.

Niki and Howard designed a custom logo and cow theme for the new event that weekend. They pitched it to Special Events Director Rob Burns who pitched it to John Kirkwood. His reaction was immediate – he loved it.

The first ‘Cow’

The first CowaLUNGa® Charity Bike Tour was held in August 1997. Howard designed the entire three-day route, and he and Niki volunteered to mark the route for the event. It was a physically exhausting job. Howard came up with the system of making a stencil from a metal pan, cutting an arrow out of the bottom. Driving along the route, Niki was at the wheel, and Howard had the side door of the van open. He put the stencil on the ground and spray painted it, creating the route mark.

“We wanted to be mindful of the paint we were using so that it was kind to the environment. The spray paint we used fades after a while,” Niki remembers.

It was important to them to get the route markings correct to ensure riders could easily find their way along the backroads of Wisconsin.

“We’d check the route the day before the event and find that some of the route markings were blocked out by someone in the interim,” Niki recalls. “So many times weird things would happen. Sometimes we would have to reroute riders while the ride was happening, due to last minute construction. One of my nightmares was the risk of someone getting lost. The markings needed to be perfect.”

Niki joins RHA

When there was an opening in the events department, Niki applied and became an RHA employee. During her tenure from 1999 to 2015, one of her main responsibilities was running the CowaLUNGa bike ride. “It was exciting to work on even more aspects of the event as a staff member.”

One of the traditions she started was giving out a Cow trophy for milestone years – 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years. “What a great, unique gesture that people remember. People say, ‘I need to come back so I can get that trophy.” Niki recalled.

Things they remember

One of their fond memories include Coweoke Night, which happened during the second night of the event at the after-dinner party in Whitewater, WI.

“We loved the creative performances the riders would put together. Team FaCOWi would write an original song to perform that was related to their weekend experience. It was always a fun time,” remembers Niki and Howard.

Niki recalls the camaraderie with the staff and volunteer crew. “Sometimes you are lucky enough to have the perfect team of people to work with, who know what needs to happen, work hard to make everything run smoothly, and enjoy being together. It’s one of the reasons why the event felt so much like a family.”

“We also loved getting up and out for the day super early, before the riders left. Our job included checking the route to be sure everything was in place before people started their day. The country roads were quiet and peaceful, and it was nice to start our day on a calm note before the chaos of 300 plus riders was unleashed,” said Howard.

Their Legacy

“Our goal was to create a fun event that people want to come back to. To inspire people, and make them part of your cause,” Niki shared.

It was very impactful having the ride end at Camp Action in the earlier years of the ride, so that the event could pair with a program that supporters were funding.

“Having a fundraising event where you have people participating in your mission, and then ending the event at a program that the fundraising supported helped reinforce the mission connection in a new way,” Niki shared.

Thanks to funds raised from the ride, RHA successfully lobbied for laws to prohibit smoking in public spaces. Niki remembers feeling proud when the 2006 Smoke Free Chicago ordinance and the 2008 Smoke Free Illinois laws were passed.

Howard remembers the riders and volunteers. “It felt like a reunion every summer, seeing old friends. You also get to know new riders over the course of the weekend and make new friends. Everyone became a real family and loved being at CowaLUNGa.”