About the first AIDS RidesA whole new concept in AIDS fundraising was launched on
May 1, 1994, when 478 cyclists departed San Francisco for a
525 mile, 7 day journey to Los Angeles. The courageous
pioneers, most of them from Los Angeles, were hoping to
raise nearly $1 million. They far exceeded their expectations,
raising $1.6 million for AIDS services at the Jeffrey
Goodman Special Care Clinic housed at the Los Angeles
Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center. With a
minimum goal of $2,000, each Rider raised an average of
$3,100 and was part of the most successful first-time
AIDS fund-raiser in American history.
One year later, the AIDS Riders did it again. They
quadrupled their numbers this time, joining with rider from
San Francisco to raise funds for both the Los Angeles Gay &
Lesbian Community Services Center and the San Francisco
AIDS Foundation. Nearly 1,900 riders made the same trek,
exceeding their minimum pledges substantially with an
average of $2,200 each. The group raised an astounding $5.5
million, again creating the most successful all-time AIDS
fund-raiser in history.
Later that year, the AIDS Ride concept was brought to the
East Coast, eclipsing all previous records. The September
1995 Boston-New York AIDS Ride was originally slated to
raise $4 million. Instead, nearly 3,800 participants raised $6.6
million on their 3 day, 250 mile journey.
How the AIDS Ride concept originatedDan Pallotta demonstrated the power of individual human
beings armed with an idea and a committment in 1982 when
he organized a 40 person, 70 day, 4,200 mile cross-country
bike trip with Harvard classmates. The event raised hundreds
of thousands of dollars over the years for hunger relief. In
1988, Dan launched Pallotta & Associates Inc. a Los Angeles
based fundraising consulting firm, which has since raised
money for some of the finest non-profit organizations in
major U.S. cities. The firm is responsible for producing all five
AIDS Rides.
In late, 1992, Dan decided that something powerful needed
to be done about the growing AIDS epidemic. He took his
AIDS Ride concept to the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian
Community Services Center. Lorri L. Jean, Executive
Director, and Joel Safranek, Development Director, loved the
idea, and agreed to test it out. With their faith, and the early
support of Tanqueray and several hundred riders, who had
no evidence that they could actually do this, the AIDS Ride
story began. This year, 28 AIDS service agencies around the
country will benefit from the Rides, and thousands of
participants will find out something about themselves and
about groups of human beings. They will find out that they
don't know what they can and cannot do and that anything
is possible.
Back to CAR 3 * SF Riders Support Page.
