RotaryInternationalDistrict5500RidetoEndPolioFREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS

1. WhatistheRidetoEndPolio?TheRidetoEndPolioisabicyclingfundraiserhostedbyRotaryDistrict5500andheldeachNovemberinTucson,Arizona,USA,inconjunctionwithElTourdeTucson,oneofthelargestannualbicyclingeventsintheUS.ElTour,organizedbyPerimeterBicyclingAssociationofAmerica,annuallyattractsmorethan8,000cyclists.Lastyear125RotarianscamefromasfarasBrazilandFrancetorideintheevent.Cyclistscanridedistancesrangingfromahalf-milefunridetothefull106milesandtypicallycollectpledgesforeachmileridden.Ifyoucan’tmakeittoTucsonyoucanparticipatebyridingastationarybikeinyourhomeorgymandcollectpledgesforthenumberofminutesyouride.Inadditiontotherideitself,District5500putsonacelebrationbanquetontheeveoftheride,providesfood,drinkandmassageforRotariansatthefinishline,andstaffsthelargestaidstationontheride.TherearelotsofvolunteeropportunitiesforRotarians,friendsandfamilynotridingintheevent.2. Howcanmyclubordistrictparticipate?ClubsandDistrictshaveformedandsentteamsofcycliststorideinTucsonandstagedIndoorRidesaroundtheworld.OneofthelargestteamsthatparticipatesregularlyinTucsoniscomprisedofRotaryInternationalstaff.TheeventisalsoembracedbytheRotaryCyclingtoServeFellowshipthatencouragesitsmemberstoparticipate,andthathassupportedtheridewithcontributionstocoveroperatingcosts.3. HowcanIregister?Gotothe“registration”tabathttp://ridetoendpolio.org.NotethattorideforRotaryYOUMUSTusethespecialRotaryapplicationavailableatthatsite.PleasedonotregisterdirectlywithPerimeterBicycling.

4. HowdoesthiseventraisefundstosupportRotary’stoppriority,theeradicationofpolio?EachTucsoncyclistsolicitsdonationstoPolioPlusinsupportoftherideforeachmileridden.Indoorcyclistssolicitdonationsforeachminuteriddenonastationarybike.5. Howarecontributionsmade?ToensureproperPaulHarriscreditfordonors(andcredittoclubs),District5500recommendsthatcontributionsbemadeonlinethroughspecialfundraisingpagesatwww.rotary.org.EachregisteredcyclistandIndoorteamleaderwillreceivesimpleinstructionsregardinghowtosetupanonlinefundraisingpagehostedbyRotaryInternational.Cyclistscanthenprovidealinktothatpagetoindivudalswhowishtosupporttheirride.Alternately,contributionscanbemadedirectlytotheRotaryFoundationorturnedintothecyclist’slocalclubordistrictfoundationandtheamountsreportedtotheRidetoEndPoliofundraisingchair.6. Howarethecontributionstracked?ContributionsmadeonlineinsupportofcyclistsaretrackedbyDistrict5500andbyRotaryInternational.CyclistswhochoosenottousetheonlinefundraisingpagesareaskedtotracktheircontributionsandpledgesandreportthosetoDistrict5500.Indoorridersthatarepartofateamareaskedtoreporttheircontributionstotheirteamcaptain,whowillreporttotalsonlineortoDistrict5500iftheonlinepageisnotused.IndividualIndoorcyclistsnotaffiliatedwithateammaycreateanonlinepageorreportcontributionsindependentlytoDistrict5500.TheRidetoEndPoliofundraisingchairwillrequestthosetotalsfromtimetotime.7. Howlongmustaparticipantride?Riderscanchoosefromavarietyofdistancesincluding:28,37,54,76,106miles.Thosewhorideinfrequentlycanchoosea¼mileor5mileFunRide.Indoorcyclistscanrideupto90minutes.

8. WhereandWhenistheRidetoEndPolio?TheRidetoEndPolio,alongwithallofElTourdeTucsontakesplaceontheSaturdayinNovemberpriortotheThanksgivingholidayinTucson,AZ.In2017thatwillbeonNovember18.9. Istherearegistrationfee?TheregistrationfeeforRotariancyclistsis$145untillateinOctoberwhenthefeeincreasesby$50.Pleaseregisterearlytoavoidtheincrease,whichisbeyondourcontrol.ThemajorityoftheregistrationfeegoestoPerimeterBicyclingtohelppaythesignificantcostsassociatedwiththeride.AsmallportiongoestothePrimaryBeneficiary,whichisEasterSeals.NopartoftheregistrationfeegoestoPolioPlus.10. WhocanrideforRotary?AnyonecanbeamemberoftheEndPolioNowTeam.YourclubordistrictteamcanincludeRotarians,familymembers(parents,children,grandchildren,aunts,uncles,cousins,etc)andfriends,RotaractorsandInteractors.

11. WhatsupportisprovidedbyDistrict5500?District5500willprovideafundraisingpackettoeachcyclist,eachIndoorteamleaderandeachindividiualIndoorridernotaffiliatedwithateam.Thepacketincludesstrategiesforsuccess,proceduresforsettingupandusinganonlinefundraisingpagehostedbyRotaryInternationalandasamplefundraisingletter.TheDistrictpublishesaperiodicnewsletterwithinformationabouttherideandourfundraisingprogressandprovidesano-hostcelebrationbanquetontheeveoftherideaswellasrefreshmentsandmassageatthefinishline.12. Whatrecognitionisprovided?ThenamesoftopindividualfundraisersandthetopfundraisingclubanddistrictparticipatingintheIndoorRidetoEndPolioareinscribedontheHarrisTrophyondisplayatRotaryInternationalHeadquartersinEvanston,Il,USA.Inaddition,topfundraiserswillberecognizedontheRidetoEndPoliowebsiteandintheRidetoEndPolionewsletter.13. WhatistheHarrisTrophy?OndisplayatRotaryInternationalHeadquartersinEvanston,thetrophyhonorsthelegaacyofRotarianMichaelJ.Harris,whofoundedtheRidetoEndPolioin2009.14. Isspecialcyclingclothingavailableforriders?RiderscanorderEndPolioNowjerseys,bibs,shortsandrunningshirtsatwww.ridetoendpolio.org.Clickonthe“clothing”tabandfollowtheinstructionstoorder.Pleaseorderearlyasclothingismanufacturedtoorderandtakesapproximatlyfiveweeksfromthedateoforder.15. Whatfundraisingsuccesseshavebeenachieved?In2016theRidetoEndPolioraisedUS$11.3millionincludingtheGatesFoundationmatch.Sinceitsinception,theeventhasraisedmorethanUS$35million,enoughtopurchasemorethan50milliondosesofpoliovaccine.16. Whatisthefundraisinggoalfor2017?District5500hassetafundraisinggoalofUS$10millionincludingtheGatesFoundationmatch.17. WillfundsraisedqualifyfortheGatesFoundationmatch?Yes.TheGatesFoundationprovidesa2:1matchforallfundsdonatedbyRotarianstoPolioPlus(upto$35million).18. WhatperksareprovidedbyElTourdeTucson?EachregisteredcyclistreceivesanElTourdeTucsonTeeshirtatpacketpickuppriortotheride.AllcyclistswhofinishtherideinTucsonreceiveabeautifulbrassmedalatthefinishline.IndoorcyclistsinthecontinentalUSwhoregisterwithPerimeterBicycling(NOTE—ONLYINDOORRIDERSSHOULDREGISTERWITHPERIMETER)andfinish

theirrideareeligibletoreceiveanElTourdeTucsonmedalandcertificateofparticipation.BecauseofmailingandcustomscostswearenotabletoprovidemedalstoparticipantsoutsidetheUS.