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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

3179.0. "Pan-Mass Challenge 1997" by DANGER::ASKETH (Beware of Greeks bearing gifts...) Thu Jan 23 1997 18:57

T.RTitleUserPersonal
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3179.1not necessarily planning on riding it, butEDSCLU::NICHOLSFri Jan 24 1997 20:293
When is it?  Whats the approximate route?

--roger
3179.2DANGER::ASKETHBeware of Greeks bearing gifts...Mon Jan 27 1997 02:0614
>When is it?  Whats the approximate route?

It is always the first weekend in August.

It goes through 29 towns - Sturbridge, Charlton, Oxford, Sutton, Douglas, Ux-
bridge, Mendon, Bellingham, Franklin, Norfolk, Foxborough, Mansfield, Easton, 
West Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Middleborough, Carver, Wareham, Bourne, Sandwich,
Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and 
PROVINCETOWN!

Sturbridge to Bourne on Saturday (112 miles) and Bourne to P'town on Sunday
(82 miles).

B
3179.3TLE::LUCIAhttp://asaab.zko.dec.com/~lucia/biography.htmlMon Jan 27 1997 15:291
The ride part is easy.  It's raising $1K that's hard...
3179.4DANGER::ASKETHBeware of Greeks bearing gifts...Tue Jan 28 1997 14:066
>The ride part is easy.  It's raising $1K that's hard...

Luckily I've always done well on the fund raising side - brought in $3k last
year!

B
3179.5How much did you beg?TLE::LUCIAhttp://asaab.zko.dec.com/~lucia/biography.htmlTue Jan 28 1997 18:0211
I feel guilty asking for money from my coworkers, family and friends.  You must
have rich coworkers, family and friends!  I threw a 30th birthday party for
myself and invited 30 people.  Rather than get me a present, I asked for
sponsors for the Tour De Cure (Diabetes) -- I got $350, which was nice, but only
about 1/3 of the $1K for Pan Mass.

$1K almost requires a corporate donation or something.  Actually, most of that
$350 would be matched by digital (oh wait, we don't have a matching gift program
any more.)

Tim
3179.6fundraisingDANGER::ASKETHBeware of Greeks bearing gifts...Tue Jan 28 1997 20:3332
>I feel guilty asking for money from my coworkers, family and friends.  You must
>have rich coworkers, family and friends!  

When you've had the family history I've had and truly believe in the cause (5 
out of 8 immediate family members have had either breast cancer or Hodgkin's, I
am the only one of 4 siblings to have NOT gotten Hodgkin's) and you let people 
know that, it makes a big difference.  I know I certainly put a lot more effort 
into fund raising for the PMC than I did for an MS ride I did years ago.  80% of
the PMC riders have been affected by cancer in one way or another.  I had pro-
bably about 110 sponsors last year, ranging in donations from $4 to $300.  I had
one $300, 3 $100, and the rest were $50 or under.  Most of my sponsors are co-
workers (too bad DEC doesn't match any more!).  Most are also repeat sponsors.  
I've gone from $1830 to $1980 to $2900 or something like that.  Guess I just ask
A LOT of people and most people will give something.  I send out a note, over 
email and snail mail, to probably 100-150 people.  I also send out a writeup 
after the ride to all these folks.  It's a very emotional event for me and I 
think that rubs off on a lot of people too.  I had a couple people this year 
tell me after they read the writeup that if they knew up front that that's what
it was about they would've given me more money.  I'm not pushy about it - I'll
only ask once and believe that every $1 helps.

Anyway, that's my philosophy on fundraising I guess...thankfully it works for me
and I'm able to support a great cause.

>I threw a 30th birthday party for
>myself and invited 30 people.  Rather than get me a present, I asked for
>sponsors for the Tour De Cure (Diabetes) -- I got $350, which was nice, but only
>about 1/3 of the $1K for Pan Mass.

That's a great idea!!

Barb
3179.7TLE::LUCIAhttp://asaab.zko.dec.com/~lucia/biography.htmlWed Jan 29 1997 14:2511
Well you are lucky Barb and I pray you never have to battle it yourself.  It
certainly would open up some pockets, however.

I have a problem with soliciting coworkers in general.  I don't mind sign-up
sheets on doors, but I don't like e-mail or people walking door to door asking
for money.  PMC is truly a good cause and one that I have supported by
sponsoring friends.  I can't really conceive of raising $1K personally.  I
suppose if I were tenacious enough I could do it, but I would definitely feel
like I was imposing on folks.

Tim
3179.8SMURF::LARRYWed Jan 29 1997 14:4012
    Just to add my 2 cents on this ...
    I usually do one charity ride a year (an MS ride).
    I also feel uncomfortable doing it but end up doing it anyway.
    However its also against DEC policy to solicit at work for charity.
    One time a person mailed my a copy of the online policy to remind me
    of it!
    Its a policy worth taking the risk to break however.
    Its sort of an art knowing  who to ask at work.  There is quite a few
    who do charity events and solicit where I work so its give and take.
    Most people really have no problem contributing.
    -Larry