By Sarah Mandile
On Saturday, June 8, the Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation will host its 7th annual Bicycle Ride and Roll Dice Run for Charity. The event combines biking, prizes, costumes and food. Registration opens at 1:30 p.m. at Sparky’s Landing, and the ride begins at 3 p.m., hitting other local hot spots. The ride will finish at Cabana Club with a pool party, free food and an awards ceremony.
Registration to ride is $30. Don’t have a bike? That’s cool. Wheels-2-Go will have a limited number of bikes to rent on site.
Riders will travel from Sparky’s (located behind Holiday Inn Express in Marathon) with a police escort and will enjoy a few local stops on their way to Cabana Club. These include Causeway Pizza, Batter up! Cupcakery, and Key Colony Inn.
At 5 p.m. an awards ceremony begins, and prizes will be given out for the lowest roll, best decorated bike, and best costumes. The grand prize, a brand-new bicycle provided by Wheels-To-Go, will also be awarded to one lucky participant.
Two of the stops, Batter Up! Cupcakery and Causeway Pizza, are fairly new additions to the Keys. The owner of the cupcakery, Simone Stanton, has a passion for cake decorating and says that when bike riders arrive at her shop, she will have “a variety of treats and merchandise to purchase.” The addition of these businesses gives riders the opportunity to support some new local shops that they may not have visited yet.
Since 2002, the Coldwell Foundation has assisted more than 1,000 individuals and local organizations. All of the money raised through the Bicycle Ride and Roll Dice Run will be used to continue this mission to help residents of the Keys.
“The money raised will stay in Monroe County for families,” says Halley Haack, the foundation’s chair.
“Thank you for the community support.” — Halley Haack
Some examples of the work done by the Coldwell Foundation include helping single mothers, providing the resources for a 3-year-old blind girl to learn Braille, and aiding the victims of car accidents. Each year, the foundation hosts multiple fundraisers in order to further its goals — Dancing Through the Decades, Bingo at Boondocks, and of course, the Bicycle Ride and Roll Run for Charity.
Haack said she has been impressed by the participation of locals in the past — “Thank you for the community support!” — and looks forward to seeing community members Saturday.
Those who are unable to participate in the bike ride and/or want to contribute in other ways can sponsor the event with a monetary donation or by donating gift certificates or other items to be used as prizes. More information is at 305-289-6489.
Biking for Charity
Break out your bicycles on Saturday, June 8 to help the Coldwell Foundation raise money to benefit locals in need. Bring a bike and sign up ($30) beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Sparky’s Landing.
