In 2010, I had no idea that when I took on the challenge of doing a Boston-to-New York bike ride to raise funds for the LGBT Center’s HIV/AIDS services I’d make it a yearly thing.
This year’s fundraising season is already under way as I’m already planning the fourth annual fund raising hockey scrimmage. Plus I’m spreading the word far and wide about the ride, what it supports and the need for funds. In fact, you could pause in your reading make a donation right now to help me get to this year’s $4,000 goal.
In the first three years, thanks to my very generous friends and family, I’ve raised over $11,500 for the Center. This year the goal is to once again make, or exceed, $4,000.
This year my ride is dedicated to my mom. While she did not pass away from HIV/AIDS, she was a tremendous supporter of me doing the ride and the cause it represented. She’s kept up with my training over the years and heard the stories of me getting stronger on the bike every year, along with the stories of the occasional injury. She’s followed each day of the ride, via my Tweets as well as the Tweets of some of my teammates (once I taught her how to monitor hashtags in the second year). We’d talk for a few minutes at the end of each of the three days so she could get stories beyond what I tweeted about. She was also my largest contributor each year. She’d withhold her donation until a day or two before the ride because she wanted to make sure to donate enough so I’d meet my fundraising goal. This year, I know she’ll be on the ride with me, and no doubt have a great place to view it from.
I haven’t done too much training yet, although over the winter I rode more than I ever have in year’s past. The purchase of some good cold weather riding gear allowed me to commute usually a couple times a week from January through March. With the weather better now, I’m riding to work pretty consistently and I will start to do some distance rides soon so that I’m ready for the three ride days in mid-September.
Right now, it’s all about fundraising to get the critical cash the Center needs to continue to operate it’s HIV/AIDS services. Please donate anything you can as every little bit helps the cause!
And, of course, stay tuned here for more on fundraising and training…
