Although previously unknown to yourselves and somewhat late in the day, I am making an urgent plea for sponsorship in a Charity Bicycle Ride in 2 weeks time.

Melbourne to Sydney ?   Pah!!     "Easy" you may say , "A mere 1100 kilometres", ... "it can be done in a day" etc etc

….but in these modern times, the definition of a bicycle has possibly been lost, so I will add some detail...

The Challenge 2001 is a bicycle ride using human leg power as the only means of forward propulsion. This has been made somewhat easier by use of the modern bicycle. For those who have visited primitive countries, this is the primary means of juvenile transport. These days in Australia, it is a device to enable children to buy expensive carcinogenic confectionery from gourmet delicatessens. It is also a device to enable middle aged men to secretly band together, consume cappuccinos and shoot the bull. For Americans, it is the device that has made Lance Armstrong a multi millionaire. For the Italians and French, it has created employment for thousands of professional cyclists, physiotherapists, policemen and drug testing laboratories.

For our intrepid band of Bayside Bandidos, it is a masochistic method of raising funds for charity.

So please join us !!!    Let us suffer on the road whilst you endure some minimal punishment of the hip pocket.

If that doesn’t move you, please consider that humiliation and massive loss of face that I will have to endure when I have to confess that even my closest friends and colleagues were unwilling to part with a buck or two on behalf of a legitimate favorite charity.

Consider this, Have I ever asked you for money ?   Good, so now you know I’m a desperate man!

The charity chosen for this ride is "Teen Challenge". In essence this organization is involved in the rehabilitation of Australian Drug Dependant Teenagers. For those of us with kids, this issue lies close to the heart.   I have appended some detail below. Our charity web site has even more … but more of that later…..

You may be wondering what you will be getting for your charity dollars other than that warm charitable feeling that burns so strongly in the nuturing human breast. Well thinking of us suffering may help, but there’s more ….

1. I will be sending you daily updates of our ride…. How good is that ?!?

2. You will be able to access our web site for up to date Challenge 2001 information, pictures, articles and experience the eclectic mix of cycling folk lore and information about the Challenge 2001. Ever visited the world famous Tour de France web site? Well that is "Mickey Mouse" in comparison. Our web site is cutting edge stuff!!!!!!!!

But there’s more. Being a legit charity, your donation is tax deductible !! Your donation will be logged and you will be sent a receipt to submit with your next return to the ATO.

I’m sure at this stage, I have sold you the concept and you are calling your Bank Manager for an overdraft...

Hence here are some sponsorship options.

1.  You can elect a lump sum fee donation for the Challenge 2001
2.  You can elect a pro rata donation on the kilometres ridden (in the unlikely event of non completion)   
...{for the non mathematicians : 1 cent per kilometer translates to $11 for the complete ride}  

All that remains is to make a choice and email your reply to us at :-

bbchallenge2001@yahoo.com.au.  

1. If you elect a lump sum please send a cheque made out to "Teen Challenge 2001", to the following address

Teen Challenge 2001      
4 Summerhill Road, Beaumaris,
VIC 3193    

2. If you elect a pro rata, please respond with the amount. I will inform you of my progress.    

In both cases I will  include you in the Bandidos subscription list and provide the internet web address.  

............For a preview, go to   www.baysidebandidos.com  

MANY MANY THANKS IN ANTICIPATION  !!

Bicycling Australia Challenge sponsorship

Bicycling Australia has offered a Challenge to 100 riders to ride from Melbourne to Sydney in October this year. The aim of the ride is to have fun and to raise funds and the awareness of Teen Challenge…a Christian based organization that runs on charity to rebuild the lives of young men caught up in drug and alcohol addiction.

Peter Buckingham, Alistair Murray, Warren Slater, Clive Vernon and Phil Irvine are riding in the inaugural Challenge ride as part of the Team Boxter Bayside Bandidos of 5 riders. The team has secured a unique support package from Porsche Australia which includes money from the sale of 5 Porsche bikes provided to the team for the ride and the loan of a magnificent Porsche Boxter support vehicle.

Team Boxter Bayside Bandidos is also seeking individual sponsorship in one of two forms. A per km rate of 1, 2 or 3 cents per km (the ride distance is 1130km) or a flat donation. Donations of $2.00 or more are tax deductable. Your support will help the team reach its target goal of $15,000.

What you get aside from that inner glow of knowing you are giving to a worthy cause is a buy in to the excitement of the trip. Via web and email, you can share in thrill of riding in a 100 strong peleton, the pain of climbing Thredbo, the exhilaration of the rush down to Canberra and satisfaction as we head through the Southern Highlands before descending the spectacular Macquarie Pass as we head into Sydney. At the end of each day the team will be participating in a range of fundraising activities along the way. You can share in the Challenge by registering your email address or you can access the Team Boxter Bayside Bandidos website to receive pre-ride progress reports as well as a day-by day updates during the ride.

As a sponsor you will also be eligible to bid for one of the fantastic Porsche road bikes as ridden by one of the team riders. An online auction for the bike/s will be run during the week of the ride and will close at 6pm on the final night of the ride. See the team website for more details.

If you wish to record your sponsorship by email please reply and return to the sender.

Team Boxter Bayside Bandidos encourages you to support their Challenge and the guys at Teen Challenge truly appreciate your contribution.

WHAT IS TEEN CHALLENGE ?

Bicycling Australia Challenge will be raising funds for Teen Challenge. Because of its Christian base, the program is not eligible for most government funding, even though its success rate is many times higher than the average.

For further details, call Teen Challenge on (02) 9634 8800. (From overseas, call 61 2 9634 8800) or e-mail info@tcnsw.org

We have set a goal of raising a million dollars for Teen Challenge in the next ten years through the Bicycling Australia Challenge. Here's your chance to help turn nightmares into dreams.

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