Standing up and saying that you going to ride for an organization and fundraising to support that organization is not always easy. Just ask any one of the 250 mentors at Strong Women, Strong Girls who fundraise for their mentor chapter activities and field trips. But they do it because they know that they will be funding program activities that will empower girls, and in turn build a generation of powerful women. Depending on how you feel about cycling, adding a 50-mile bike ride into the fold, can make it even more challenging. In our first year riding with the Rodman Ride, this challenge was taken up by Steve Osemwenkhae, a photographer and friend of SWSG.
On the far right: Steve, right before the Rodman ride, poses with his fellow SWSG team members.
The Rodman Ride for Kids is the #1 single day athletic fundraiser in the nation supporting at-risk kids. Cycling teams raise funds for an organization then cycles non-competitively (imagine a relaxed ride that offers hot dogs and hamburgers along the way by a lake!) for either 25, 50, or 100 miles. 100% of the proceeds raised by each fundraising team goes back to the organization they raised it for. Better yet, we receive a 3% match for all the proceeds we raise. This means we get 103% of the proceeds back to us to support our work!
Those who join the Ride, usually take up the 25-mile route. It isn’t short by any means, but its the least daunting of them all. Steve however decided to challenge himself. And he will tell you that it wasn’t easy, but that that it was incredible: “Riding the Rodman Ride for Strong Women, Strong Girls was an amazing experience. I elected to do the 50 mile ride because it sounded easy but I can tell you it wasn’t. I didn’t have the greatest bike and it took me over 6 hours to finish.”
The six-hour ride, on a not so great bike made Steve want to quit. But he didn’t. “There were times I wanted to give up but I had my family, friends and the strong women behind that I didn’t want to let down. They kept me going when I wanted to give up, they kept me going when I said I couldn’t make”.
Strong Women, Strong Girls will be participating in the Rodman Ride for Kids for the third year in a row. It will take place Saturday September 23, in the town of Foxboro, MA. This year, we are focusing 100% of our fundraising on supporting our college chapters and diversity and inclusion training.
Join us this year as we once again ride for our 700+ girls from all over greater Boston and 200+ mentors. All you need is determination. “I was very blessed to do that 50 mile ride because it showed me I had the will to go on and I had Strong Women, Strong Girls supporting me.”
Thank you to Steve for setting such an inspiring example for us all. We are grateful to have had your involvement. Every year we talk about the grit that you exhibited to complete the ride. It inspires us in the harder moments!
To join the Rodman Ride this year or to make a donation, you can click here!