After a 4 year hiatus, I am riding for AIDS again.
I have many reasons to ride. I have a number of friends who are HIV positive. I do not want this disease to take anymore lives than it already has. I feel I need to do my part to help those who are HIV positive and to educate those who are not. This event is where I have chosen to do this. This event touches the lives of people in towns along the Ride. It promotes awareness to the hundreds of supporters of the Riders and Crew and Staff. It educates many who before the event did not know anything about AIDS or HIV. It makes everyone involved in it--Riders, Crew, Volunteers, Spectators, Supporters--advocates for change, for compassion, for humanity. All this while raising money for two Chicago area AIDS organizations, this is a lot to accomplish for one event.
I have agreed to raise $1000 for "Ride for AIDS" between now and June 4, 2005. I raised over $3000 for each of the 1999 and the 2000 AIDS Rides. My goal for this year is $2000. Last year, "Ride for AIDS" riders and crew raised nearly $70,000 and 99% of this pledge money was returned to the agencies for HIV/AIDS care and prevention services.
I have already started training by taking on the streets of Chicago on my Schwin Cruiser. I ride my bike to work each day and I have been riding longer distances on the weekends. These are not the friendly rides I had from Ann Arbor and Dexter; I have found my calling in dodging taxi cabs and busses. And if my co-workers would allow me to take the M&Ms off of my desk then maybe I will be able to get in shape for this ride.
I need your help. Would you please make a pledge to help me meet my goal? Please keep in mind how far I am riding, the commitment I have made and how long I will have to train for this.
Please contact me at tia@tiagirl.com Please feel free to look around my web site to gather more information.
Thanks.
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