RotaryInternationalDistrict5500IndoorRidetoEndPolioFREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS

1. WhatistheIndoorRidetoEndPolio?TheIndoorRideisaready-madepoliofundraisingeventopentoeveryRotaryClub,RotaryDistrictandRotarianintheworld.TheIndoorRideisacomplementtotheRidetoEndPolio,abicyclingfundraiserheldeachNovemberinTucson,Arizona,USA,inconjunctionwithElTourdeTucson,oneofthelargestperimeterbicyclingeventsintheUS.ElTour,organizedbyPerimeterBicyclingAssociationofAmerica,annuallyattractsmorethan8,000cyclists.TheIndoorRideallowsridersacrossthecountryandaroundtheworldtoparticipatewithoutcomingtoTucsonbyridingstationarybikesathomeorinagym,collectingdonationsforeachminuteoftheride.2. Howcanmyclubordistrictparticipate?Formateaminyourclubordistrict.Thereisnomaximumorminimumnumberofcyclists.Teammemberscollectpledgesanddonationsforeachminutetheycommittoride,andthenhoponstationarybikesfortheself-selectedlengthoftimeatthelocalgymorathomeanytimeduringtheperiodNov13-20.3. Howcanmyclubordistrictregister?Gotothe“registration”tabhttp://ridetoendpolio.org.

4. HowdoesthiseventraisefundstosupportRotary’stoppriority,theeradicationofpolio?EachridersolicitsdonationstoPolioPlusinsupportoftheride(forexample,someridersmayask$1perminute).5. Howarecontributionsmade?ToensureproperPaulHarriscreditfordonors(andcredittoclubs),D5500recommendsthatallcontributionsbemadeonlinethroughspecialCrowdfundingpagesatwww.rotary.org.Checksandcashareacceptable.6. Howarethecontributionstracked?Eachridertrackscontributionsmadeinsupportofhisorherride.Eachrider(ortherider’sclubordistrict)isresponsibletoensurethatcontributionsgototheRotaryFoundationPolioPlusfund.Ridersparticipatingasmembersofateamreporttotalstotheteamleader,whothenreportstotalcontributionstoD5500toensureproperrecognition.IndividualsnotaffiliatedwithateamwillreportcontributionsindependentlytoDistrict5500.7. Howlongmustaparticipantride?Indoorriderscanridechooseanynumberofminutesconsistentwiththeirleveloffitness.8. Musttheindoorridebecompletedatonetime?Yes.Eachridermustcompletetheindoorrideinone“sitting”anytimeduringtheperiodNov13-20.Itisnotnecessaryforallridersonaclubordistrictteamtoridetogether.9. WhereistheIndoorrideconducted?Indoorriderscanrideastationarybikeanywhere(forexample,athomeoralocalgym).10. Istherearegistrationfee?Thereisnoteamregistrationfee.However,eachrideronateamlocatedintheUnitedStateswhodesirestoreceiveamedalandaCertificateofParticipationmustalsoregisterwithPerimeterBicyclingandpaytheregistrationfeeestablishedbyElTourdeTucsonatthetimeofregistration.ThesefeesgotoPerimeterBicyclinganddoNOTsupportD5500orPolioPlus.Gotothe“registration”tabhttp://ridetoendpolio.org.RidersonteamsoutsidetheUnitedStatesarenotrequiredtoregisterwithPerimeterBicycling.

11. WhocanrideforRotary?AnyonecanbeamemberoftheEndPolioNowTeam.YourclubordistrictteamcanincludeRotarians,familymembers(parents,children,grandchildren,aunts,uncles,cousins,etc)andfriends,RotaractorsandInteractors.

12. WhatsupportisprovidedbyD5500?D5500willprovideafundraisingpackettoeachteamleader(andtoeachindividiualindoorridernotonateam).Thepacketprovidesstrategiesforsuccess,proceduresforsettingupandusingaCrowdfundingpageontheRIwebsite,samplefundraisingletter,andmuchmore.TheDistrictalsopublishesaperiodicnewsletterwithinformationabouttherideandourfundraisingprogress.13. Whatrecognitionisprovided?Thetopindividualfundraiserworldwide(indoororoutdoor)isidentifiedontheHarrisTrophyondisplayatRotaryInternationalHeadquartersinEvanston,Il,USA.ThetopfundraisingclubanddistrictforIndoorRidetoEndPoliowillbeidentifiedontheHarrisTrophyaswell.Inaddition,topfundraiserswillberecognizedontheRidetoEndPoliowebsite.RegisteredindoorridersintheUnitedStatesareeligibletoreceiveaCertificateofParticipationandanElTourdeTucsonmedal.14. WhatistheHarrisTrophy?OndisplayatRotaryInternationalHeadquartersinEvanston,thetrophyrecognizesMichaelJ.Harris,whoinitiatedtheRidetoEndPolio.Michaelpassedawayafewmonthsaftercompletingthe2010ride,buthislegacyliveson.Eachyearthenamesofthemostsuccessfulfundraisersareinscribedonthetrophy. 15. Isspecialcyclingclothingavailableforriders?Yes.RiderscanorderEndPolioNowjerseysandshortsatwww.ridetoendpolio.org.Clickonthe“clothing”tab.16. Whatfundraisingsuccesseshavebeenachieved?In2016theRidetoEndPolio(indoorandoutdoor)raisedUS$11.3million(withtheGatesFoundation2-1match).Sinceitsinception,theeventhasraisedmorethanUS$35million,enoughtopurchasemorethan50milliondosesofpoliovaccine.17. Whatisthefundraisinggoalfor2017?$10millionincludingthematchfromtheBillandMelindaGatesFoundation.18. WillfundsraisedqualifyfortheGatesFoundationmatch?Yes.TheGatesFoundationprovidesa2-1matchforallfundsdonatedbyRotarianstoPolioPlus(upto$35million).19. WhatperksareprovidedbyElTourdeTucson?EachriderintheUSwhoregisterswithPerimeterBicyclingandfinisheshisorherrideiseligibletoreceiveanElTourdeTucsonmedalandcertificateofparticipation.Becauseofmailingcosts,neitherPerimeterBicyclingnorRotaryDistrict5500isabletoprovidemedalstoparticipantsoutsidetheUS.ParticipantsoutsidetheUSarenotrequiredtoregisterwithPerimeterBicycling.