The 10th - and final - Annual Charity Challenge for World Bicycle Relief has come to a close. With just over $30,000 raised (over 200 bicycles), that's a number that we should all feel good about. Looking at what, as a community, we've been able to achieve over the past 10 years, it is hard not to smile.
Some of you may wonder what happens now. Unlike in past years, we did not have a major giveaway associated with the fundraiser. Unfortunately, life (and work) got in the way, and while I'm proud to have exceeded my first year total in this fundraiser, I also was admittedly more limited in my ability to really commit as much time as I have in the past. We do have beanies going out for everyone who donated, so keep your eyes open for a package in your mailbox!
Overall, however, 2018 (and a bit of 2019...) was another incredible year for World Bicycle Relief. They now have 449,076 bicycles in the field (and counting). But to think about the impact that you all have made, just about 1% of all of those bikes have come just from this fundraiser. Just us. 1% is a lot. That the team at World Bicycle Relief can count on this effort - because of people like you - year after year, that is an incredible difference maker. I'm so, so glad that back in 2009 I decided to organize this for the very first time.
In the ten years that we have been doing this together, we've raised close to (and maybe just over) six hundred thousand dollars. Wow again! In the past 13 years, World Bicycle Relief has grown from an idea into one of the most impactful and efficient and well-respected philanthropic organizations in the world. So that was a powerful reminder of both the need and the impact of these efforts. It's a reminder of the Power of Bicycles! And a testament to the power of you!
So thank you for all that you have given. And now, let's put a close on this whole thing by looking ahead with those same incredible words from a recipient of a Buffalo bike, Beene (age 14) - "ONLY SOMEONE WHO LOVES YOU CAN GIVE YOU SUCH A GIFT BEFORE YOU HAVE EVEN MET."
