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It's a week and a day to departure!
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THANK YOU! In just over a week we begin our adventure in the Friends For Life Bike Rally. We can't thank you enough for the incredible work and effort you are doing to raise funds for people living with HIV/AIDS and for your role in helping to reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
"On bike pick up day I walked my bike down Church St. to meet up with some friends for coffee and talk about my experience on the ride. We sat outside and since I did not have my bike lock, we parked it along side the bench where we sat. My bike still had the Bike Rally license plate affixed. A young man looked at my bike and came up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, can I ask you, did you do the ride this year?" And I said, "Yes I did!" He replied, "I just want to say thank you for doing the ride." I always feel odd when someone says that because I don't think thanks are needed so I said, "I love doing the ride." Then he said, "I am a PWA client and because of you I have been able to continue on with 3 programs that the PWA provides me and I am doing so well. I hope to help next year with crewing." And then he hugged me. Such sweetness. I have to tell you that, fighting the tears, I said to myself this is why I do the ride."
Comment from a 2016 Bike Rally Participant
In these last remaining days before we leave, after the weekend Training Rides, don't over exert yourself, finish up your "packing pile" of what you're planning to bring with you during the Bike Rally, make those last few fundraising asks and most of all be proud of all that you are doing and know that you are amazing!
Thank you!
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The Bike Rally Village has been mourning the loss of our friend and champion Alexander Wu. As a tribute to this incredibly caring man and his legacy with PWA and the Bike Rally, Alex's family and friends have donated well over $25,000 to the Bike Rally.
We hope all who shared in this remarkable effort will consider themselves a Friend For Life.
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In June, Todd and Ted, our Bike Rally Co-Chairs, wrote to you with some fundraising challenges. One challenge was to surpass last year's average amount raised per participant. Here's how were stacking up so far:
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Average amount raised so far this year
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Average amount raised this time last year
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Crew
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$693.89
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$880.80
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1-Day Riders
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$1,004.79
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$934.02
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6-Day Riders
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$3,280.15
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$3,226.75
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Last year we set a record in all three categories for average amount raised per participant. With your continuing hard work - and a little extra last minute push - we're on track to set a new record this year!
Congratulations to each of you for your fundraising - don't take your foot off the pedal now! Clients of PWA are counting on every one of us!
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Win a Specialized Diverge Road Bike
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Don't forget, for every $200 you raise from July 12 to Packing Day (July 29) you will get an entry in our contest to win a Specialized Diverge Road Bike (retail value of $1,200), courtesy of our friends and supporters at Cycle Solutions on Parliament Street.
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Put your hands together for a big congratulations!
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The Top Fundraiser list* is growing! Congratulations and thanks to each of you who have gone above and beyond in their fundraising:
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Riders
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
Rob Veinott
Stephanie Jones
Robb Walker
Ken Allen
Jeff Stevenson
Eli Elsasser
Cameron McLean
Skot Beaumont
Steve Yeates
Dianne Hind
JoAnn Alafriz
Darrel Zehr
Jack Coop
David Knox
Pato Rodriguez
Gord Lamb
Kevin Vose/Devaux
Terry Sydenham
Matthew Lamb
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1-Day Riders
Donald Ainslie
Billy Curtis
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Crew
Mike Twamley
Marc Montreuil
Pat Lucas
Nan Pryce
Trevor Ouellette
Donald Littlewood
Denny Tai Quoc An
Brent Everett James
Paul Dawson
Bill Smith
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*as of 12:00p.m. July 20
There are quite of few Riders and Crew who are on the cusp of being a Top Fundraiser too! Keep pushing in your fundraising and you too will get your special applause!
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Day 6 Rendezvous and Bin/Bike Exchange Update
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At the Big Meeting and in the official Event Handbook we acknowledged that the last leg of the Rally on Day 6 was going to be affected by construction and availability of space in Montreal for the bin/bike exchange and crew vehicle parking. We've worked out the details!
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A chiropractic treatment is waiting for you
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Rain or shine, our Friends for Life at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) are offering treatment for all Riders and Crew for any aches and pains you may have.
If you missed seeing them during the training rides and will need some care, please don't hesitate to see them for an assessment at any one of their clinics.
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Are you set for the evening activities at Camp?
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If you're worried you won't have enough to do in the evenings at camp, think again. Here's what you can expect:
- Evening 1 (Port Hope) - Arrival celebration of 1-Day Riders
- Evening 2 (Adolphustown) - Bike Rally's Got Talent! (see below)
- Evening 3 (Kingston) - Enjoy the Kingston nightlife!
- Evening 4 (Johnstown) - Candlelight Celebration - a Bike Rally tradition when we commemorate those we've lost to HIV/AIDS and celebrate the advances we've made and continue to make in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the stigma associated with it.
- Evening 5 (Lancaster) - Night in Shadows (see below)
- Evening 6 (Montreal) - Arrival Party! Celebrate your arrival into Montreal at Club Unity Montreal (1171 Rue Sainte-Catherine E. from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
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Evening 2 - Bike Rally's Got Talent
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You've got talent - here's your chance to show it off. Come as a group or come alone.
Before getting on stage though, you'll have to register. Space is limited so act quickly! The deadline to sign-up is Tuesday, July 25.
Send us your name and performer/group name along with an email and/or a phone number that you'll have with you during the week of the Rally. If your talent involves music, you must provide your music on a USB stick or smart phone.
Get ready to enjoy your five minutes of fame!
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Evening 5 - Night in Shadows
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Celebrate this year's Bike Rally theme "It Takes a Village" with shadow play. Work with your team to create a shadow display -a poster, a montage, a moving piece. Bike Rally will provide the display surfaces (bedsheets!) and primary lighting. You provide the rest to create your shadowy work of art.
And since it's new and we just want to have fun, we're inviting teams who aren't sure about the Night in Shadows theme to create something under last year's Light the Night theme.
Night in Shadows pieces will be set up around the perimeter of the dining tent. Light the Night pieces will be set up at the team campsites.
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Final Bike Rally News!
Daily Cogs to begin
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Heads up - beginning next week the Bike Rally Daily Cogs will begin. These short bulletins are issued each evening and will provide highlights of that day on the Bike Rally as well as important information about the next day's activities.
If you're planning to go offline for the week - not to worry - important updates will be provided at camp each day during morning and evening announcements.
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Help us choose the 2017 Bike Rally theme song!
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Is there a song that you sing to yourself that gives you that extra boost up a hill? Do you have a favourite inspiring or motivating song? Let us know!
We're putting together a play-list of high energy, motivating and inspirational songs - one of which will be this year's Bike Rally Theme song. So let us know your pick and the artist who sings it and you might hear it throughout this year's Ride.
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Party Like It's 1999
It's a Pre-Bike Rally Dance Party!
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Sunday, July 23
4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Stryker Sports Bar, 31 St. Joseph Street, Toronto
After your team ride, join us for the last Bike Rally Social before the ride to Montreal.
It's 1999 all over again and Year 1 of the Bike Rally.
Dress in your favourite 1999 fashions and enjoy the music from the 90s. Send us photos of yourself from 1999 - we'll display the older photos with more current images and see who can match our past with our current Bike Rally participants!
"In for a Fiver" tickets will be available.
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Bike Rally Statistics
(July 20, 2017)
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1-Day Riders:
52; 6-Day Riders:
125; Crew:
75
Raised:
$677,365
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On July 30, 2017, a dedicated group of Riders and Crew will embark on either a 6-day 600 km journey from Toronto to Montréal or a 1-day 110 km journey from Toronto to Port Hope, both in support of people living with HIV/AIDS. PWA's Friends For Life Bike Rally is the sustaining fundraiser of the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation. The experience of the Bike Rally promises to have a profound impact on the lives of every participant.
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Presented by
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