Bike for Humanity (BikeforHumanity.com), a global initiative created by Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton in April, is gearing up for its second rendition with a star-studded cast of elite athletes and celebrities when the ElliptiGO Bike for Humanity II presented by Banner Bank and Events.com takes to streets around the world on Saturday, July 25. It’s an opportunity for participants to get out and ride their bikes for up to two hours during the day to support three outstanding organizations that are doing incredible work in the community.
Joining Walton in headlining Bike for Humanity II are ultramarathon champion and three-time winner of Competitor Magazine’s Endurance Athlete of the Year, Dean Karnazes, and Boston (2014) and New York City (2009) Marathon champion and Olympic Silver Medalist, Meb Keflezighi (kef-FLEZ-ghee).
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bike for Humanity II is a virtual bike ride in which participants can participate anywhere around the globe. Individuals are encouraged to get out and ride their bikes for up to two hours in an area where they can practice social distancing. Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines continue to recommend a minimum of six feet of social distancing in an effort to stem the pandemic. It is CRITICAL to note that Bike for Humanity II is NOT a group ride and riding clusters are PROHIBITED due to the coronavirus.
Net proceeds from Bike for Humanity II will benefit three outstanding nonprofits, Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K), No Kid Hungry and The Rex Foundation.
Based in Minneapolis, Free Bikes 4 Kidz is a national organization that collects used bicycles, rehabilitates them with the help of volunteers, and then gives those bikes away to kids in communities around the country. Currently in 12 U.S. cities, FB4K’s goal is to give away 1 million bikes in the next five years in 100 American cities.
No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. After 25 years of successfully investing in local nonprofits and helping find the best approaches to eradicating poverty and hunger, Share Our Strength launched No Kid Hungry in 2010.
Named after long-time Grateful Dead road manager Rex Jackson, The Rex Foundation supports creative endeavors in the fields of arts, sciences, and education. It aims to help secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the arts, provide support to critical and necessary social services, assist others less fortunate than ourselves, protect the rights of indigenous people and ensure their cultural survival, build a stronger community, and educate children and adults everywhere.
For those who simply want to participate, there is no cost to sign-up and register for Bike for Humanity II, however there are multiple opportunities to donate and receive commemorative keepsakes, including medals, T-shirts and more. There are also VIP experiences and opportunities to win great prizes. Riders can visit www.BikeforHumanity.com to register and learn more.
Additional Bike for Humanity II partners include USA Cycling, Morgan-Stanley, Sierra Nevada, Sun Bum, Columbia Sportwear, prAna, The Grateful Dead, Shimano and Electra Bikes.