When I finally stopped being a wuss and signed myself up for this year’s Young’s Bike Tour, I was a little conflicted. I had only left myself three weeks to raise money, but I also felt compelled to set an ambitious goal, as the charities supported by the ride are very near and dear to me. So I picked a number, $500, and then added one more, just because.
For a few days after, I was wondering if I was some sort of idiot. Five hundred bucks is a lot of money, and I had just recently tapped the same group of people to help support my Tour de Cure campaign. I thought for sure I’d get some contribution, but never the full goal I had set, and I even anticipated having to make up a little of the $200 minimum to ride in the 2-day.
So I wrote my post, talking about what I wanted to do and why, threw a link up on Facebook and R6Live, and hoped for the best. What I found out is that I’m surrounded by the best. The best family, the best friends, and the best people one could ever hope to be associated with. Suddenly, my email inbox blew up. Like massively. I was at work when the emails started, and they came in so fast, and in such amounts, that I was nearly moved to tears.
Maybe it seems like the $501 we raised this year isn’t a lot of money, when you look at the mountains of cash required to fund the research and treatment of all these diseases. But it is something. And together with a whole lot of other little amounts, we made one big amount (over $50,000 and counting, last I checked), and that is going to go on to make a tangible difference in the lives of real people, with real families, and real hopes for a better life.
So I wanted to write a post to you, the amazing, generous, big hearted people in my life who have donated to my charity campaigns so far this year. I am so honored that you would help me with my efforts, and I will never forget how much each of you mean to me. Thank you all, from the very bottom of my heart. You have helped make the world just a tiny bit brighter.
Humbly and gratefully yours,
Pete