Re: Benefit Rides

[Lucie Hancock <lbhbhnck@ftc-i.net>]

Abby,
I have successfully managed a Benefit Ride for St. Judes' Children's
Hospital for several years now. There are several factors that have to
"come together" to make it a success. The most important is VOLUNTEERS.
The trail is important, but not so much where the trail goes or type of
terrain, but how well marked it is, and the placement of water
strategically if there is limited natural water. Good vets are also
important. Then you need to have enough port-a-johns, also strategically
placed. VERY IMPORTANT: An experienced head timer can make your ride.
I offer four distances. I started offering a 10 mile "Introduction" ride
a 25 and a 50. That got my feet wet and got local people interested. I
now offer 25/50/75/100. Some of the people who first rode my 10 mile
ride were local people who now ride at other rides and are volunteers at
mine. The advantage of a benefit ride over any other ride is that you
can solicit tax deductible(for the cause) donations of prizes, food, or
money, which lowers the overall cost of putting on a ride.
The first year was the smallest "profit" of around $1500. If I haad not
had donations, there would have been no profit that year. Some of that
money was in the form of checks made out to St. Jude's. We had around 50
riders that year.
Last ride, we had amlost 100 riders, and I was able to send St. Jude's
almost $4000. Still donations play a big part of being able to do that.
I have never managed a "regular" ride, so don't know the profit/loss
margins for those. 
My advice if you decide to put on a benefit ride is pick good people to
help and delegate the jobs. My trail boss takes that job very seriously
and marks the trail so that a child riding alone can follow it. The P/R
chairman makes sure that volunteers have stethescopes, know their job,
and they each get a break while keeping the vet check area staffed and
moving. Those are the things riders care about. That makes the riders
happy and they come back next year. Word gets out, and it grows.Delegate
to peole who you know will follow through. It's hard enough when things
are well planned and well delegated. And no matter how well you plan,
and how good the help is, there is always something that goes wrong, but
if you have planned well, even those things work out well in the end.
You have started well, by asking for advice and help. Keep asking us.
Lucie Hancock
 ride manager and riding grandma