What Can We Do Against Cancer in 3 Days? – UPDATED

Well it turns out we can do a lot. We made the $500 mark on Wed and to date have raised $611 dollars in the fight against cancer. Thank you so much for your help! I’ll have a report on the ride very soon, and news about the winners of my two prize drawings.

The Echelon Gran Fondo is approaching at approximately the speed of light (sun going around the earth at least).  In fact it is THIS SUNDAY, the 26th! ::Kermit Flail:: Thanks to a long summer of training and a week of tough but fun days on Cycle Oregon last week, my legs are totally ready for the 100 mile course and the 20 mile climb in the middle.

But there’s another area where I’ve been sadly lacking, and that is arguably the most important part of the ride: raising money to fight cancer. The Gran Fondo is a benefit for both the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Knight Cancer Center at OHSU.

Last year around this time, I got a wild hair and signed up on the Livestrong team for a ride I couldn’t actually do, but I was just in a cancer-fighting mood. You, my awesome friends and family, donated over $1000 over a weekend. So I know it’s not too late for us to do some good together, even though the fund raising deadline is only three days away.

My donation page is right here, if you’ve heard enough and you’re ready to give.

I don’t have an iPod to give away this time, but just to sweeten the pot a little, I do have a couple of fun things to raffle off. If you’re a Fat Cyclist reader, you’ll know this drill well. Every $5 you donate gets you one chance to win a prize.

Prize the First (Locals Only–really local)

Most anyone who knows me, knows how much I love my Big Dumb Bike AKA the Big Dummy. I use it to carry anything from my little Timbuk2 bag, to ridiculous loads of stuff up to and including my other bikes. And sometimes I use it to carry my girlfriend Jessica.

Jess ready to get hauled
Jess on the Snow Dummy

So, for some lucky contributor who is also local*, I’m offering up Dinner By Dummy. I will pick you up on the back of my cool bike, and take you out to dinner at the dining establishment of your choice** and deliver you back home full and happy. You may invite whoever you wish to come along, but only ONE winner will get to ride on the Dummy.

Prize the Second (on one condition)

Many of you know that I’m also what I refer to as Geek in Training, about to start my last year (yay!) of school in the Web Design and Interactive Media program at the Art Institute of Portland. Prize the second is 10 hours of free web development work and/or training from yours truly (a $400 value). I leave this description pretty broad because the range of folks who might win this will vary. Things you might request include:

  • Help setting up that blog you’ve been meaning to start on WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr or other platform of your choice
  • Help picking a new theme and customizing your already existing blog
  • Build a simple website (probably template based) for your small business or personal use
  • Getting your digital photos up online where people can actually see them
  • Edits to your existing website or learn how to do it yourself

Those are just a few ideas that come to mind. I’m flexible and want the winner to get the most out of our time together. You don’t have to be local to win this prize and you don’t have to need a website. If there’s something geeky I know how to do and you don’t, I’ll help you out.

Since this is a pretty big time commitment for someone about to start her last year of school, prize the second has one condition: We have to break the $500 mark in total funds raised by Friday September 24th.

I have absolutely no doubt that we can accomplish this goal because our army is large and mighty. If everyone who reads this gives $5, we will triple that goal easily.

Ready to donate yet? Get going!

No Cash? No Problem!

If you’re short on cash, but long on a useful skill (Massage? Anyone? Anyone?)  and you’d like to add to my little raffle prize pot, please leave a comment and I’ll update this post.

Why Should You Do This?

If you don’t have an extremely personal reason to hate cancer yet, it’s a sad fact that you will probably have one in your lifetime.  Here are just a few of the reasons I’m riding:

Sam and Jessie on the teeter totter at Arbor Lodge Park Dec 2008
Jessie Simmons lost to breast cancer, August, 2010
Mom, lost to colon cancer, April 2007
Uncle Jonathan
Uncle Jonathan, lost to colon cancer November 2007
Jess at Crater Lake viewpoint 2007
Jess. Partner in life, cycling, crime and general dorkiness. 10 year cancer survivor. Best Girlfriend Ever.

Thanks for reading, donating and spreading the word.

The Fine Print (Prize the First)

*Local in this case means within 10 miles of my house, unless you’re willing get yourself to my house as the starting point.

** Restaurant has to be withing a five mile radius of the starting point (my house or yours)

*** Weight limit for passengers is 200 lbs (and probably all I could pedal anyway)

****This prize is ‘weather permitting’ as decided on by the winner. I have the gear to ride in pretty much any weather!

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