About Illini 4000
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4000 Miles. 2 Wheels. 1 Cause. About Illini 4000 Our Mission The Illini 4000 is a non-profit organi- zation dedicated to documenting the American cancer experience, raising funds for cancer research and patient support services, as well as spreading awareness for the fight against cancer through annual cross-country bike rides. About Us The Illini 4000 is a student-run orga- nization at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Every summer, the Illini 4000 sends a group of stu- dents on a cross-country bike ride to fight cancer and collect stories of those affected by cancer. History The Illini 4000 was formed in 2006 by University of Illinois students An- ish Thakkar and Jonathan Schlesinger, who saw a lack of funding for cancer research. The two organized and par - ticipated in the inaugural ride in the summer of 2007, and has completed a ride every summer since. Leadership The Illini 4000 is managed by a board of directors who oversee the organi- zation’s day-to-day operations, logisti- cal planning of the ride, and the or - ganization’s long-term sustainability. The board is comprised entirely of students who fill various unpaid vol- unteer positions.
Transcript of About Illini 4000
4000 Miles. 2 Wheels. 1 Cause.
About Illini 4000Our MissionThe Illini 4000 is a non-profit organi-zation dedicated to documenting the American cancer experience, raising funds for cancer research and patient support services, as well as spreading awareness for the fight against cancer through annual cross-country bike rides.
About UsThe Illini 4000 is a student-run orga-nization at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Every summer, the Illini 4000 sends a group of stu-dents on a cross-country bike ride to fight cancer and collect stories of those affected by cancer.
HistoryThe Illini 4000 was formed in 2006 by University of Illinois students An-ish Thakkar and Jonathan Schlesinger, who saw a lack of funding for cancer research. The two organized and par-ticipated in the inaugural ride in the summer of 2007, and has completed a ride every summer since.
LeadershipThe Illini 4000 is managed by a board of directors who oversee the organi-zation’s day-to-day operations, logisti-cal planning of the ride, and the or-ganization’s long-term sustainability. The board is comprised entirely of students who fill various unpaid vol-unteer positions.
About The Portraits ProjectWhat is the Portraits Project?The Portraits Project is a collection of nar-ratives that illustrate how Americans re-spond to cancer. Each story is reflective of their unique life experiences and individual beliefs: from the retired teacher in Washing-ton D.C., to the young dancer in Portland, we believe that everyone has a story to tell.
MissionThe Portraits Project is a national commu-nity that gives a voice to the American can-cer experience and inspires people to rise together in the fight against cancer. By shar-ing the stories of people across the United States, the Portraits Project strives to serve as a platform to unite those who have been affected by cancer, provide educational re-sources, and foster strength in the face of this disease.
I4k and the Portraits ProjectEach Portrait is taken by members of the Illini 4000, who during their ride have the unique opportunity while riding across the country to interview a wide spectrum of people. While interviewing cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers from all walks of life, our riders are able to truly discover how cancer has impacted the American lifestyle. By recording these unique narratives from the communities we ride through each year, our organization illustrates how Americans respond to cancer according to their reli-gious beliefs, location, and socioeconomic status.
Members of the 2012 Illini 4000 Bike America Team after completing a Portrait with Kenneth Wayne World-turner, a member of the Sioux Nation battling colon cancer
Visitors examine Portraits on display at the fall 2013 Portraits Gallery. The Portraits Proj-ect holds an open gallery at least twice per year, and many are viewable at portraitsproject.org
Facts and FAQsThe Ride
How long does the trip take?Each year’s route is slightly different and vary in length. The 2015 route will take 71 days to complete, including 8 rest days. This year, our riders will depart from Central Park in New York City on May 24th and will complete the ride at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Franncis-co on August 2rd.
How many miles are covered each day?The team rides an average of approximately 72 miles per day. Our shortest ride day is 39 miles in Colorado, while our longest is nearly 104 miles in Indiana.
Where do the riders sleep?We rely on the charity of others for a place to stay. In addition to camping, our riders stay at schools, community centers, and places of wor-ship who graciously agree to host our team.
FundraisingFunds RaisedSince 2006, the Illini 4000 has raised over $800,000 for cancer research and patient sup-port services, regularly surpassing $100,000 annually. We hope to raise $150,000 in 2015.
What is the fundraising minimum?Each rider is responsibile for personally rais-ing at least $3,500 to participate in the ride. In 2013, our riders raised an average of approxi-mately $5,200 per rider.
Our BeneficiariesIn 2013, the Illini 4000 donated a total of $115,500 to the Damon Runyan Cancer Re-search Foundation, the American Cancer So-ciety, Camp Kesem Illinois, The Livestrong Foundation, the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, Camp TLC in Lombard, IL, and to cancer research efforts at the University of Il-linois at Urbana-Champaign.
What percentage gets donated?The Illini 4000 does everything it can to min-imze organizational expenses. Thriftiness and the enormous generosity of individuals along the way helps us donate over 90% of funds raised each year, a much greater percentage than comparable organizations.
Members of the Illini 4000 Board of Directors present the 2014 donation of $15,000 to Camp Kesem Illinois, a free local camp for children whose parents are diagnosed with cancer.
The 2015 RideThis year marks the ninth ride of the Illini 4000 Bike America Team. The 2015 Bike America Team aims to raise over $150,000.
2015 Bike America TeamDiego Apraiz, Madrid, SpainLiz Berger, Fayetteville, AR
Angelica Czarnecka, Chicago, ILJack Feldman, Willowbrook, IL
Kevin Gibbons, Palatine, ILSarah Halko, Lemont, IL
Lauraleigh Heffner, Woodstock, ILJason Hempstead, Bloomington, IL
Lisa Huang, Maryville, ILHaley Johnson, Golf, IL
Andrew Kerr, Centerville, OHAlex Kott, Sugar Grove, IL
Khrystyna Kozak, Chicago, IL
Joseph Lee, Chicago, ILSean McCarty, Columbia, IL
Corinne McKenna, Oak Park, ILMayumi Ogino, Gumma, Japan
Jane Phang, Ipoh, MalaysiaHannah Russell, Glenview, IL
Emmy Sakakibara, Nagoya, JapanTony Siu, Springfield, IL
Sarah Virgo, Carterville, ILCarrington Watkins, Glenview, IL Zixuan Brian Wu, Zhaoqing, China
Shutian Xu, Xiamen, China Samantha Yadron, Chicago, IL Zack Zlevor, La Grange Park, IL
For more information and full profiles on all of our riders, please visit illini4000.org/riders
Hannah Burkhardt, Downers Grove, IL
Ben Wooley, Ride Leader, Oswego, IL
Contact InformationPress InquiriesKenny Shaevel, [email protected]
Portraits ProjectCasey Fee, [email protected]
Other InquiriesSponsorship and Fundraising: [email protected] Processing: [email protected] and Stayovers: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected] other inquiries: [email protected]
What People Do DocumentaryZachary Hermann, a University of Illinois alumnus, filmed portions of the 2007 inaugural ride and cre-ated a documentary entitled What People Do. View the trailer online at www.filmsthatmove.com
Visit Our Websites!www.illini4000.orgwww.portraitsproject.orgfacebook.com/illini4000facebook.com/portraitsprojectTwitter/Instagram: @illini4000
Our website is a great re-source to find out about the most recent news and de-velopments of the Illini 4000 and the Portraits Project.
Mailing AddressIllini 4000P.O. Box 2431Champaign, IL 61825
