How to Organize a Fundraising Ride?

This is an idea I've been kicking around in my head for a while. My dad died from Alzheimer's in 2006. I've done the local Alzheimer's Memory Walk for several years, but have always been disappointed with the turnout and lack of media coverage. More and more I've been thinking about trying to organize a fundraising bike ride, but have no idea how to go about it.

I guess my first step should be to contact the Alzheimer's Association? Or should I get in touch with a local cycling organization and talk with them?

Any tips, suggestions, advice, etc., would be so helpful!

Wacky:

The Alliance for Biking and Walking (which used to be the "Thunderhead Alliance" for the same, has a good handbook, the "Guide to Fundraising Rides" which is pretty much a checklist to walk you through the whole process, from coming up with a ride concept all the way down to cleaning up and getting ready to do it again next year... Try http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org ...

Super cool! Thanks so much for the link. :) :) :)

ETA: Oh, pooh. Looks like you have to join the Alliance (min. $100 contribution) in order to access the relevant material. :(

E(again)TA: OK, it looks like you can purchase that handbook without having to pay the membership fee. :)

Hi wackyjacky

Hey, good for you.

Listen, I am not one for riding centuries or anything near it but my partner and I got a Team up, totalling 16 of us and we did a charity ride for Leukaemia Research.

By 28 September we will have raised in excess of £8263 incl. Gift Aid ($13625). We managed to get everybody to use www.justgiving.com, I suppose that is a UK site but I am sure you have similar in the US.

We rode 26 miles and wow, did some of the others struggle but they did it. The riders where friends from all over the UK, so to keep the motivation and encouragement going, I set up a regular email system which was fantastic, we all had set backs, health, personal problems, you know, the usual stuff.

I wrote lots of letters to all types of people and got quite a few results. We held a few big parties where people paid on the door, did raffles, some friends did some mad things to get donations, even a friend in a wheelchair got in lots of money, always shaking her collection tin at somebody! :D

I am off on holiday tomorrow but when I come back I will PM you.

Must also mention, some of my friends from TE also sponsored me. :)

Good luck, give it a go, you will have a lot of fun along the way as well as raising money for your Charity.


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