Ride a Bike to Benefit Charity Organizations
ABOVE: Members of the Palm Beach Team in Training cycle team waiting for the start of the 25th El Tour de Tucson Century Bike Ride. This 100 mile road bike race took place on November 17th, 2007 in Tucson, Arizona.
RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY
There are various marathons, triathlons, walkathons, bike rides and other athletic events, that you can participate in while helping to raise funds for your favorite charity. Organizations such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society and American Diabetes Association, all host charity athletic events each year, at various locations throughout the United States.
CHARITY BIKE RIDES
My main interest is cycling, so my husband and I are always on the lookout for charity bike rides that we can participate in. Most rides have three route lengths to choose from – a family fun ride, which is usually between 10 and 20 miles, a metric century ride (100K = 62 miles), or a full 100 mile century ride.
LOCAL CHARITY BIKE RIDES
Since we have two children still at home, my husband and I try to look for local charity bike rides to participate in every year. Some of the local rides we participate in include the Frank Stark Celebration Ride, Lauren Katzenstein Celebration Ride and the South Broward Wheelers Century Ride. The funds raised at these local rides, benefit one or more charity organizations.
For example, the funds raised at the Lauren Katzenstein event are donated to Mother’s Against Drunk Driving. The South Broward Wheelers use the funds raised, during their yearly century ride, to purchase new children’s bicycles which are donated to 5 local charity organizations, such as Children’s Home Society.
NATIONAL CHARITY BIKE RIDES
We have also participated in national events such as the MS150, which benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Society, along with many rides with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program. Next year we already have plans to do our local MS150 in Coral Gables, Florida, and at least one century ride with Team in Training. I just found out that the American Diabetes Association is bringing their Tour de Cure ride down to south Florida in 2009, so we have that ride added to our schedule already.
In future posts to Charity Mile, I will be adding details on each specific charity bike ride that I have participated in, along with lots of photographs taken during each ride. I blogged about the Livestrong Challenge ride last week, which benefits the Lance Armstrong Foundation: Livestrong Challenge Charity Bike Ride.
Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva
Hello,
I’m a singer, composer, & performer who participated this past June 21-22, 2008 Ride to Conquer Cancer from Toronto to Niagara Falls to benefit Princess Margaret Hospital. I did the ride for my wife, who is a 4-time breast cancer survivor and still fighting everyday of her life since 1996 when she had her first surgery. I also did it for our relatives and friends worldwide who lost their fight against cancer.
It certainly was an unforgettable and emotional experience to be one of 2,850 riders who took part in the event and raised $14 million, all of which have their own personal reasons why they rode as everyone has been affected by the disease one way or another. I will be doing it again next June 2009! I respect and admire what you are all doing.
I have written some songs last year which are on my latest 16-track CD inspired by our bike ride this summer which I would like to share with the American Cancer Society’s Bike-A-Thon. The carrier song is appropriately titled, “Riding My Bike” which is also the name of the album. It has a very catchy tune and so appropriate for the ride. I can send you a sampler CD if you so desire to be a theme song for your event. If you wish to do so, just let me know where I can send the CD and I give you permission to use it at no cost to you. My way of helping you out.
Thank you for your time and good luck with the Ride next year! I look forward to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Marc Ballesteros
http://www.marcb.net
(2008) http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/marcballesteros
(2009) http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/Marc_Ballesteros
Hi Marc,
Thank you for sharing your story. I’m a freelance writer and not associated with the American Cancer Society.
Here is a link to the American Cancer Society website: http://www.cancer.org.
Take care,
Lynn Smythe