The SMART Ride 2016 Raises $1,037,140; AIDS Help To Discover its Share January 14th

The 2016 SMART Ride (TSR) raised $1,037,140 from its annual 165-mile trek from Miami to Key West on Friday, November 18th through Saturday, the 19th, and Monroe County will find out its slice of the pie at a check distribution party on Saturday, January 14, 2017.

Seven (7) Agencies in Florida are all jockeying for a generous helping: Pridelines, Broward House, Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Metro Wellness and Community Centers, Miracle of Love, Inc., Compass Community Center and AIDS Help.

Last year’s TSR brought a total of nearly $125,000 to the Agency. This disbursement represents critical stopgap money for local client needs not covered by in-house grants; a neuropathy alleviation program (long term usage of HIV-medications often trigger this crippling nerve pain); pharmaceutical and specific dental needs; and emergency housing and utility assistance.

“TSR has never been just about rallying people to generate money,” says AIDS Help Executive Director Scott Pridgen.  “How can we call it a race when we all ultimately win?”

Part of that win/win is the unbridled enthusiasm and energy of riders and crew throughout Monroe County. One team in particular – The Mile Marker Team of 17 cyclists ranked as the #3 TSR team, having raised nearly $48,000 through family and friends, fundraisers such as silent auctions, 50/50s and jersey sponsorships.

Poinciana Royale Saturday BINGO, Sunday Tea Dances, Christopher Peterson’s ‘The Broads of Broadway’ and The Miss Firecracker Pageant helped complete the Agency’s participatory “buy-in” to the event.

As important as the dollars raised is the statewide reminder that there is still neither vaccine nor cure for HIV and AIDS.

In fact, Monroe County has seen a significant rise in new reported HIV and AIDS cases this year, going from four in the first nine months of 2015 to 21 during that same period this year.

The state of Florida led the country in new reported HIV and AIDS cases last year with 7,208 new cases; statewide, there are 112,000 people with HIV or AIDS and 658 people with the disease in Monroe County.

Even grimmer statistics like those first spawned TSR’s inception, in 1993, when it was known as BIKE It & B.E.A.R. It. Since, over $7,300,000 has been raised and returned to Florida organizations working with HIV/AIDS clients for direct services…the only one of its size to give back 100%.

Registration for TSR 14 is now open and those doing so by January 13th will be entered to win a Lumos helmet, $179 value, the next generation smart bicycle helmet featuring integrated brake, turn signal lights and easy visibility day or night. Lumos was named one of the “Best Cycling Innovations of 2015” by Cycling Weekly.

For more information, simply go to thesmartride.org or access The Mile Markers for SMART Ride 2017 on FACEBOOK.

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