BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — PeopleForBikes' Ride On events are getting a big boost this year from involvement with Walgreens and the Red Nose Day movement.
PeopleForBikes has been connected with the fast-paced group rides since 2011, when pro racer Tim Johnson led the Ride On Washington, which went from Boston to Washington D.C. to attend the LAB Bike Summit. The ride was intended to bring awareness to advocacy and build a bridge between the racing and advocacy communities. Since then, Johnson has led several similar rides, some of which generated millions of media impressions, mostly because several NASCAR drivers joined in. They also raised money for PeopleForBikes.
This year, there will be two Ride On events: one April 30-May 1 on the West Coast, and another May 21-24 in the Northeast. The events are being promoted by Walgreens and the Red Nose Day organization. The rides will support Red Nose Day's mission to end child poverty.
Riders must raise a minimum of $5,000 for Red Nose Day to participate. Walgreens and Red Nose Day are covering 100 percent of the hard costs associated with the rides and they are making a separate $50,000 contribution to the PeopleForBikes Foundation.
Red Nose Day originated in the U.K. and has raised more than $1 billion in the last 25 years to help children in need, worldwide. Red Nose Day launched in the U.S. in 2015. The money raised by Red Nose Day in 2015 benefited children in all 50 states and in 15 countries internationally. It netted $31.5 million in the U.S. in 2016 and the 2017 goal is $43 million. Walgreens, NBC, M&M's and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are the primary partners on Red Nose Day in the U.S.
PeopleForBikes is recruiting participating riders from the industry. Besides raising the $5,000, participants need to be able to maintain the rides' ambitious pace of about 18 mph for 100 miles each day.
More information: rideon4rednoseday.com.
