ORLANDO | The inaugural “joy ride” is coming to Florida this November from the 22-23, bringing riders from all around to participate in a bike ride from Miami to Key West to benefit a handful of charities.
The joy ride marks the return of the 165-mile bike ride after the annual SMART Ride event ended last year, closing out its 20-year run with $16,377,287 raised.
Earlier this year when the end of SMART Ride was celebrated with its check distribution party, Scott Pridgen, A.H. Monroe executive director, shared the news that the ride would continue as “Bike It For Life” under new management. Since then, it has evolved into the joy ride.
The return, led by FAB Adventures, was founded by the five beneficiary organizations: Broward House, Compass, Empath Partners in Care, Miracle of Love and Pridelines. It will see riders biking the distance over the course of two days and fundraising, much in the same way as the previous ride.
“The agencies met the day before The SMART Ride Check Distribution Party in January and we agreed to stick together and build upon what Glen Weinzimer created in the SMART Ride,” said Jule Seaver, Compass CEO and board member of the joy ride. “The 100% give back will remain and we are thrilled that AH Monroe is supporting us in their commitment to being the sponsoring welcome wagon as the joy ride rolls into the lower Keys and Key West.”
While SMART Ride may not officially be around anymore, the joy ride will have everything that participants know and love about the old event, with it following the same course and model set up by SMART Ride.
Many of the nonprofit organizations benefiting from the joy ride work to help empower and protect the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ individuals in the community. They offer a range of services such as counselling, housing programs, HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs and mental health help.
On top of the familiar charitable side of the event, the course will feature many of the same rest stops for fueling, as well as support vehicles and volunteers cheering on riders.
This was important in facilitating the ride’s return as the impact of SMART Ride was huge and the organizers wanted that impact to be able to continue.
“The camaraderie among participants, seeing old friends and meeting new ones and the sense of accomplishment at the finish line is what people always enjoyed about The SMART Ride,” said Angus Bradshaw, CEO of Miracle of Love. “We are taking all of the elements we loved from the previous ride to continue the journey.
According to the joy ride mission statement, the organization is committed to producing community-based events where 100% of the funds raised are given to the non-profits.
“Through the events we produce, we will assemble and sustain a group of thoughtful, committed citizens to build relationships and raise funds to positively affect the lives of people, whom the citizens may have never met, and in doing so challenge themselves to stretch the limits of what they thought they could do as an individual,” states the mission statement.
The joy ride registration opens April 15 on the organization’s new website and fundraising platform at thejoyridefl.org.
For more information on each of the nonprofits involved, go to MiracleOfLOveInc.org, CompassLGBTQ.com, BrowardHouse.org, Pridelines.org and MyEPIC.org.
