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Mountain View resident George Schneider is serious about raising money to fight AIDS. To do so, in fact, he will ride his bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles, a 545-mile trip that takes seven days.
Schneider, 42, is once again taking part in the AIDS/LifeCycle event, a yearly trek down the coast with thousands of participating cyclists. All riders in the event, now in its seventh year, must raise at least $2,500.
That seems to be no problem for Schneider. As of Tuesday, May 6, he was only $675 from his goal of $5,000, which he has raised for the last three years.
“I decided to join AIDS/LifeCycle in 2005 because, although I have never personally known anyone with HIV or AIDS, it is an epidemic which affects everyone,” he said.
Schneider began this year’s fundraising campaign in October, when he baked and sold “meringue mushrooms” at Solstice Salon, where some of his friends work.
“Everyone at the salon supports my fundraising efforts. If it wasn’t for them, I would not have been able to raise my first $1,000,” he said.
After the holiday season ended, he handed out pens stamped with information on how to donate. He also advertised on Craigslist in hopes of finding more donors.
The first $2,500 raised by each participant in the ride covers administrative costs, meals for the entire week and tents for overnights. After paying for the event itself and all its costs, the extra money raised will go to benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, which provide AIDS-related services and information.
There are 21 cyclists from Mountain View currently registered and gearing up for the big ride, according to Dave Ellison of the AIDS Foundation. “Nearly $11 million was raised last year. And $6.5 million came to the Foundation,” he said.
A practice “Day of the Ride” was held recently to prepare cyclists for a typical day of their week-long excursion, which starts June 1 at the Cow Palace and ends June 7 at the Los Angeles VA Center. Though time is running out, Schneider is hopeful that contributions from his fellow Mountain View residents will make this a banner year.
“I would like to raise my contributions to $10,000 this year by reaching people in Mountain View that I have not met, as well as those that I have,” he said.
INFORMATION:
For complete information on the AIDS/LifeCycle event, visit www.aidslifecycle.org. To follow George Schneider’s fund raising efforts or to contribute in his name, visit www.aidslifecycle.org/1374. He can also be reached at geoschneider@mac.com.
