Glen Weinzimer, founder of The SMART Ride, turned his personal battle with AIDS into the 2ndlargest AIDS bike-a-thon event in the United States.
500 riders are expected to participate in the ride this year coming from throughout Florida and as far away as Hawaii. Historically, riders and support crew range in age from 18 to 73.
The SMART Ride 11 is a fun-filled travel of 165 miles that will begin in Miami and end in Key West to raise awareness and much-needed financial support for seven of Florida’s non-profit organizations that provide support and services for individuals with HIV/AIDS.
In the previous ten years, The SMART Ride event has raised over $5.3 million.
The SMART Ride 11 kicks off on Friday, November 14, at 6:30 a.m. from MorningStar Renewal Center, 7275 SW 124th Street, in Pinecrest, with an overnight stay at Hawk’s Cay in Duck Key.
The SMART Ride 11 then resumes at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 15, with an anticipated arrival at 2 p.m. at Key West High School. The riders will celebrate their accomplishment at the High School at 2:30 p.m. with a rider parade that begins at the high school and travels along Duval Street to the White Street Pier for the closing ceremony and announcement of the grand total raised this year.
Highlights and Photo Ops for The SMART Ride 11 include:
11/13 – Orientation Day
- · 5:00 p.m. – Registration
(all the riders come in, lots of hustle and bustle)
- 5:30 p.m. – Opening Ceremony Begins
* Dedication Moment
* Opening Statements
* Blessing
* Candlelight Vigil
- 6:00 p.m. – Dinner begins
(good time to interview riders) sponsored by Olive Garden
11/14 – Kick Off Highlights
- 5:45 a.m. – Stretching
- 6:30 a.m. – Music blasts, Riders head out through celebratory arch
(Media must arrive by 5:30 a.m. to capture kick-off images) - 7:41 a.m. – First Pitstop at Verde Community Farm & Market
12690 SW 280th Street, Homestead FL 33033
- 9:30 a.m. – Second Pitstop at Fasulo Park
34967 SW 187th Ave, Florida City FL 33034
- 3:15 p.m. – Bicycle riders arrive at Hawks Cay
11/15 – Key West Highlights
- 12 p.m. – Riders arriving at Key West High School
(photo/b-roll opportunity)
- 2:30 p.m. – Rider Parade begins down Duval Street to White Street Pier (Riders arrive, marching band and cheerleaders, final stretch of ride and closing ceremony… grand total raised will be announced.)
Beneficiaries of this year’s ride are:
- · The Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center, one of the largest children’s agencies in south Florida, serving over 10,000 children and youth annually.
- · The Pride Center at Equality Park, which provides a welcoming, safe space and an inclusive home that celebrates, nurtures and empowers the LGBTQ communities and its friends and neighbors in South Florida.
- · Metro Wellness & Community Centers, a multi-faceted agency in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties serving the HIV+ community via medical case management, eligibility, minority aids initiative, mental health, substance abuse and prevention/testing/outreach services.
- · Pridelines Youth Services which for more than 30 years has provided safe space, social support, skills building, leadership development, HIV testing and support services, referrals to mental health, health care and support services for LGBTQ youth, their straight allies, and the community at large.
- · AIDS Help, Florida’s oldest continuously operating AIDS service organization and the only agency in Monroe County that serves individuals with HIV and AIDS.
- · Miracle of Love, Inc., the oldest and largest non-profit minority AIDS Service Organization in Central Florida.
- · FoundCare’s Comprehensive AIDS Program (CAP) is the oldest and largest program serving people with HIV/AIDS in Palm Beach County.
For additional information on The SMART Ride 11: https://www.thesmartride.org/