By all accounts Pelotonia 2011 was a huge success. So far over nine million dollars has been raised to help in the fight against cancer (they expect it to reach $10 million by the October 21st deadline), and almost 5000 riders took part in the event.
For me personally, it was a tremendous experience, and I couldn’t have done it without the help and support of family and friends, and especially the donors who ponied up money for the cause.
If you don’t know how The Pelotonia works (or how much your donations meant to me), here’s how it goes. When you sign up as a cyclist (and it takes a donation just to sign up) you choose the distance you want to ride (25, 43, 103, or 180 miles) and you commit to a corresponding level of fundraising. Then…you give them your credit card. Any amount of your commitment that you don’t raise by the deadline, gets charged to your card. This year – lacking confidence in my fundraising abilities – I chose the 25 mile ride, which still committed me to raising $1200. $1200!!! It seemed like so much. But I needn’t have doubted. I should’ve know that all of the amazing people in my life would come through for me. As of now I have raised almost $1300.
So now you know.
I spent some time snooping around the profile pages of some of the other riders to see how they were doing with their own fundraising. (Not the Les Wexners, I mean the normal people like me.) And do you know what I found? Most of the people who had really succeeded with their fundraising – approaching several thousands of dollars – had done so not because of a few giant donations, but because of many, many small ones. These are tough economics times, and some people really have to stop and take a look at their finances before donating to yet another cause. But many found it in themselves to contribute, even just a little. And these $25, $15, $10 donations really begin to add up. It is amazing and awe-inspiring to see how much can be accomplished when we all just do a little….do something.
Lots of people seem to think that those of us who ride in this event are just short of crazy. They insist it’s not something they would think about doing. And that’s okay. You donate. I’ll ride. I’ll do the 180-mile gruel-a-thon if the donations are there.
So for those of you who were able to donate this year (either to my ride or someone else’s), thank you, thank you, thank you for whatever you were able to contribute. It matters. Because of you a doctor or researcher will have the money and equipment they need to pursue new ways of battling cancer. Because of you, cancer patients will spend time talking to their doctors about treatment plans, not futility. Because of you The James Cancer Center – right here in central Ohio – will continue to charge forward in the fight.
What might we accomplish in 2012?
