Quote Originally Posted by Crankin View Post
If you want to ride 100 miles, just do your own ride.
I abhor the thought of asking people for money. The only charity rides I've done are ones where you just pay a registration fee. Seriously, I wanted to do the Soldier Ride a second time, but they added in fund raising commitments. Sorry, I just can't do it. I won't ask work colleagues and I can't ask friends.
I have to jump in here. Fundraising is not for everyone, and I get that. I've done TNT a few times now, and it's definitely the most difficult part.

However, the fundraising model has enabled the LLS to raise more than $1 billion for cancer research and patient care. Event registration fees alone could never touch that. TNT money - from friends, families and colleagues - has funded important breakthroughs in cancer treatments. It's pretty cool being at the dinner before an event and have them talk about specific medicines and research, all possible because of TNT.

I also know people, family friends, who were directly supported by the LLS. The society does more than fund research - it matches patients with experimental treatments and new treatments. It helps them find other support services. The human aspect of this really sealed the deal for me.

If you think about it, your friends will probably give some money to a charity. You are simply making them aware of this particular charity. I look at it as a worthwhile PITA.

Finally, there are lots of ways to raise money, other than simply asking. My friend and I had a beer tasting party - we got some interesting craft brews and charged folks $20 each to come and try beers they might not have seen yet. Some businesses are also very happy to help - a local bar I know of will let you sell extended happy hour tickets at the door. Restaurants will sometimes donate a percentage of an evening's profits to the cause. TNT's pretty good at helping you find this stuff, too.

*Gingerly hopping down from my little soap box now.*