A few months ago, I sent a message to Ken Shockley, the Fresno Fire Department public information officer, asking if any firefighters would be interesting in honoring the memory of Chris Johnson by joining Team In Training for the summer season.

Full disclosure: I have been a Team In Training volunteer since 2006 and am a coach for the Central California cycling team.

Johnson, who was an engineer with Cal Fire, died in September of last year at the age of 32 after a year-long battle with leukemia. He worked at the firehouse at McCall and American Avenues and was much admired by fellow firefighters.

Jonathan Lusk, a Fresno fire captain, answered the call and will ride 100 miles around Lake Tahoe and Truckee as a member of the Central California TNT team. Riders from the team will raise about $150,000 for leukemia and lymphoma research and local patient services before they complete America's Most Beautiful Ride on June 1.

Lusk needs to raise $2,700 to qualify for the ride, but he wants to raise a total of $50,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as a way of honoring Johnson and his surviving family -- wife Rebecca and son C.J.

In addition to his cycling training, Lusk teamed with Fresno firefighter Fred Martinez and his son Max to produce an emotionally charged, six-minute video tribute to Johnson.

I challenge every firefighter in Central California to match my donation of $50 to Lusk's fund-raising efforts for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

You can see the video by clicking here.

You can donate in Johnson's memory by clicking here to reach Lusk's Web site.