MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
A HUGE THANK YOU!! That’s right, to all of our riders, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and supporters. Because of you, our 46th annual Bike-a-thon was a tremendous success. We are still in the process of tabulating the information but we know that we had more than 3,350 riders who, to date, raised more than $1,286,000. While our ride has ended, our fight against cancer continues. Our fundraising year ends on August 31 and we are confident that our fundraising dollars will continue to grow and we'll reach our $1.5 million goal. There is still time for everyone to contribute.
We are delivering the prizes to the steering committee raffle winners. A big congratulations to Dan and Lorie Jones, the grand prize winners of an all-inclusive trip for two to Jamaica. We look forward to sharing photos of their trip as well as the other winners enjoying their prizes.
We were graced with fantastic weather for riding and for our ceremonies at the end point in Atlantic City. We trust that there were more than adequate beverages and nutritional items at the rest stops and that you took advantage of what was offered. Our bike shop, SAG and motorcycle support along the route enabled us to improve our response time for those who required assistance.
A big shout out to 6ABC for their support and media coverage. A special thank you to the Papa family for allowing us to keep the memory of their beloved husband and father Gary alive through our ride. A special thank you to Jamie Apody and Ali Gorman for getting back in the saddle and riding with us. There is nothing like being on the road to get the full experience of what our ride is about and we know each of you saw things up front and personal.
We sent a post-ride survey and we are still accepting responses. So far, more than 18% of our participants have responded, providing valuable information which will enable us to assess what went well and what needs improvement. We are always looking to better the experience for all participants, and your feedback is invaluable.
As with any event of this magnitude, there are always small issues that arise. Most of these are easily correctable. It is the major issues or problems we seek to avoid and work to eliminate for future rides.
We had an overwhelming response from participants who expressed an interest in joining our steering committee. We will be reaching out to them inviting them to learn more about the inner workings of the ride and what volunteer needs are for the committee. If you have an interest, please feel free to contact us.
Visit our website and follow our social media for updates and to see us reach our fundraising goal by August 31. With your help and support, we will exceed our goal and have an impact in the fight against cancer. In the meantime, have a safe and healthy summer.