Riders with For A Cause
In these difficult economic times, finding the perfect vacation - one that encompasses adventure, meaning and value - can be hard to find. If cycling or walking adventure vacations are your thing, you just might want to check out an organization that arranges just such a tour, but with an added benefit - your vacation helps raise money for a good cause. The company is For A Cause, Inc.
Vacationers with For A Cause, Inc., have been combining good times with good causes since 2001. "Unlike for-profit companies, whose primary focus is their return on the bottom line, our focus is on the return to our beneficiaries," noted Founder Rob Webber. "Because of this, we can charge half of what the for-profit companies charge for the same services."
For A Cause events are completely geared to the participant. You get to choose whether you want to walk or ride. You choose your primary beneficiary - either the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation or the Breast Cancer Network of Strength Illinois Affiliate. Or, you can choose an additional beneficiary. In past years participants have chosen organizations such as the National Kidney Foundation, the National Autism Foundation, the Susan G. Komen For A Cure, and many others.
This year's event, Ireland Walk or Ride, takes place August 9 - 15, 2009. The registration fee of the event is $1,650.00 per person and covers all your event expenses: meals, lodging (in a 16th century castle), snacks, sport drinks, guides, bikes and support vehicles. As noted above, participants can choose if they want to walk or ride; this is perfect for groups where some like to walk and others ride. If you do not want to walk or ride, but still want to support the cause, you can register as a crewmember. Crewmembers travel with the walkers and riders in support vehicles, ensuring they are on the correct routes, setting up pit stops, organizing lunches and making sure everyone is safe.
Riders and walkers are asked to raise a suggested minimum of $1,000.00 in donations; in past events participants raised an average of $2,500.00 per person. None of the donations are used to pay for event expenses, but if the registration fee is a little more than what you can afford, (especially in these difficult economic times) you can elect to have 10% of your donations supplement your registration fee. Also, if fundraising is not for you, you can elect to pay a slightly higher registration fee and forgo your fundraising requirement. You'll also receive a nice little tax write-off at the end of the year. How many times can you say that's happened on your last vacation?
The location for the Ireland Walk or Ride is a small town just north of Galway, along the West Coast. Everyone will stay in an authentic 16th century Irish castle updated with modern conveniences, including private bathrooms. The castle has an indoor heated swimming pool, private lake, formal gardens and a chapel. There will be no sleeping in tents, no port-o-jons, and no lugging your gear; participants will stay in this amazing castle all week and make circular trips out into the countryside. Daily distances will range between 10 - 15 miles for walkers and 50 -75 miles for riders. Each day will start with a hearty Irish breakfast at eight AM, followed by our departure at nine AM. Lunch will be either alfresco along the route or in Irish pubs. Dinners will be family style, cooked by the castle staff with the freshest of local ingredients.
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