The 3rd time's the charm! Make-A-Wish foundation ride...wanna sponsor me?

[cheapie]

I'm riding 300 miles for Make-A-Wish again this year and am starting to raise support for our wish kid. Our team is bigger than ever, with about 40 people from my company joining the cause. This will be almost double from last year where we had about 18 riders out of the total 600 or so.

First, thanks to everyone that donated last year. I was amazed at how many of my friends, co-workers, and family pitched in. If you gave last year, don't feel pressured to do so again. Well...feel some pressure but less than the slackers that deleted this message and never donated! =)

A little background on the ride...Wish-A-Mile (WAM) 300 bicycle tour is a huge fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. We raised over over $750,000 for seriously/terminally ill kids last year and are hoping to boost that to $800,000 this year. This is a great event, and is very important in providing hope, strength, and joy to Michigan kids.

The route is different this year, going from Traverse City to Chelsea Michigan. I'm hoping they took my suggestion that the route include only roads going downhill. We'll see I guess. It's 300 miles again this year and I will be pedaling for 3 straight days the pinkie finger to near the thumb of Michigan. (Hold up your right hand and pretend it's Michigan. You'll see what I mean.) For more information, you can visit www.wishmich.org and click on the special events section. You will see the WAM link on the right hand side.

I am going to try and raise $650 this year and EVERY little bit helps. I would appreciate anything you can give, no matter how small. Honestly. Most of my pledges were in the $5-10 dollar range last year and I reached my goal.

It's extremely easy to help out this year as the Make-A-Wish foundation has built a site that you can donate securely on instead of having to stick something in the mail for me. That way you can be sure none of it's going towards Cheetos or something. Ha!

The donation page is located at http://wishmich.kintera.org/WAM/andyridesagain

I've really appreciated the help that's come from my fellow Apexers in the past and hope the effort can be duplicated this year as well!

Thanks for helping!!!

[cheapie]

thanks...um...LK? not sure who that was that just donated but :thumbup:

[chadlnc]

Done and done

[Memo]

It's not much but I hope it helps :)

[cheapie]

thanks guys!!!

[IrishSS]

Done and done. :)

[welfareloser]

Make-A-Wish foundation ride...wanna sponsor me?


nah... but i'll sponsor someone else. got a link to your toughest competition's donation site? :heh: ;)

[cheapie]

you guys are awesome! thanks!!!

[cadetevon]

Done and done. Not much, but it's something. :) Good luck on your ride. Have fun and be safe.

[cheapie]

thank you! i am always surprised when people i've never met donate as much or more than the people i know IRL.

[Jenny]

Done. :) Good luck!

[cheapie]

Thanks Jen!!!

[sbp]

Off to a good start with $425. :thumb:

But cheapie maybe we can give folks an incentive to raise even more? If we raise $1000 will you shave the hair on your head off? :shakehand C'mon man its for a good cause, its aerodynamic which helps while riding and its cool-your lady will dig your new look. :naughty:

[cheapie]

yikes!

Oh man. It would have to be something truly spectacular for me to do so. I'm not sure it would grow back! :heh:

[cheapie]

wow. $455 with plenty of time left. i've gotten way more from my apex friends than i have from my family.

prophet's not respected in his own town huh? :(

[nickel]

donation went out in the mail today cheapie.

*gotta make it up to $1000 and see you shave that head! :P

[cheapie]

I just wanted to thank everyone that donated! Thanks to many of you I will be suffering like a dog, errr...helping a seriously or terminally ill child and their family take a break from their illness. This event is the hardest thing I've ever done but also the most rewarding.

I wish you could meet the parents and kids and see them break down in tears when they tell how much your gift helped their child get through their ordeal knowing that something fun was waiting after the treatment was over, or listened to the ones that talked about how great it was to have one last family trip before they lost their son or daughter.

Btw, those of you that said I just do it for the free massages....lies..all lies!

If you had intended on giving but didn't have a chance you still can. My brother Jeff is doing the same ride as I am and is raising his funds. Because he possesses neither my charm or nor my good looks he is still raising funds. His donation page is here: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=140749&lis=0&kntae140749=CEAD4AB059484C53A025A6F28EC75410&supId=118228166.

But he's young and thin so he won't be suffering for the kids nearly as much as I will be so keep that in mind when considering donating to him.

Again, thanks for your support my fellow Apexers!