Grand Slam for Zambia: More Prizes, More Awesomeness
A Note from Fatty: If you’re just looking for the rules and where to donate, I can help you out. Click here for the rules, and click here to go to the donation page. Thanks!
On July 20, Johan Bruyneel challenged us to a tiny little contest. A “no-big-deal, we’ll take care of it before lunch” kinda thing: Raise enough money for World Bicycle Relief to buy 1000 bikes for kids in Zambia.
Wow.
The thing is, I was happy to take on this challenge, because it’s a pretty amazing thing to consider: every bike we raise money for changes a life. It gives a kid in Zambia a way to make the commute to school, to get educated, and to get a big boost on the trail toward a better life.
If we raise $134,000, we’ll drastically improve the lives of a thousand people. And that’s how Grand Slam for Zambia: 1000 Bikes. 1000 Lives Changed was born. Check out the awesome sticker we’ll be putting on those bikes:
And if you donate at least $134, we’ll send you a sticker to put on your bike, too.
Johan didn’t leave us with just a challenge, though. He put out a few pretty nice incentives, with new incentives coming available as we hit fundraising milestones. We’ve already hit the first two milestones, which means that somebody’s gonna win a SRAM Red Pro Gruppo, and someone’s going to win a race-ridden Team RadioShack bike.
And with more than $50,000 raised in the first ten days or so, we’re in spitting distance of the halfway-point incentive, at which time a yellow jersey worn on a Tour de France podium and then signed by Lance Armstrong.
And those are some very cool incentives. But I’ve been busy, using my superpower of asking companies for stuff, and now I’ve got more prizes to add to the pot. Quite a few more, in fact. Enough more that if you haven’t donated yet, I’m hoping you’ll do the math and get out your credit card.
How These Prizes Work
All the prizes I’m listing below will definitely be given away as part of the random drawing — these are not “milestone” prizes. So, if you’ve donated already, you’re entered for these prizes. If you haven’t, well, you aren’t. So you should probably go donate now, eh?
Specialized BG S-Works Road Shoes, donated by Boa Technology
These shoes are almost too beautiful to wear, and it’s lucky they’re only almost too beautiful, because you’ll definitely want to wear them. I have a pair of these shoes, and the Boa Closure System takes what is already a near-perfect road shoe and finishes the job. Twist one dial to cinch — smoothly and evenly — the front of the shoe. Twist another dial to cinch the top. Twist the other way to loosen.
These shoes retail for about $350, and some lucky winner will get them as part of the drawing. I hope it’s you, because you would love them. And you will also love the Boa jersey that comes with this prize as an awesome bonus.
An Entry Into the 2012 Breckenridge Epic Stage Race
Six days — or three days, your choice — of mountain bike racing in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado. It’s The Breckenridge Epic, and it’s going to be an incredible race. A tough race. A race you will be so glad you’ve done, once you’ve done it.
So it’s a good thing you’ve got a year to train for it.
This race is on my bucket list. I want to do it next year. So it’d be kinda cool if we were both racing it, wouldn’t it?
Yes, it would.
This prize has a retail value of $995, and includes everything that normally comes with a solo racer entry, which is actually makes it an astounding bargain. If you want to get a team together, they’ll need to pay for their registration, which seems only fair, since it was you — not them — who won the prize, right?
Smartwool: Socks, Armwarmers, or Kneewarmers
This isn’t really just a prize. It’s 30 prizes. Specifically, 30 people will get to choose which of these awesome Smartwool products they would like:
- PhD Cycling Ultra Light Mini Socks: Featuring WOW™ technology in high density impact zones, shock and abrasion are reduced. The 4-Degree Fit System keeps the sock in place.
- Arm Warmers: Thanks to seamless construction, you’ll stay comfortable and warm, and have maximum freedom of movement. A non-binding welt at the wrist and bicep openings will keep warmers in place.
- Knee Warmers: Seamless construction allows freedom of movement, while a mesh knit ventilation zone at the back of the knee permits airflow. A non-binding welt at the thigh opening keeps warmers in place.
I’ve mentioned before how much I love Smartwool stuff. You’re going to love it too.
Honey Stinger Smorgasbord
Have I mentioned that I’m a big fan of Honey Stinger? I have? Possibly even recently? Well, that’s something you’ll probably see as a theme in prizes I wrangle: they tend to be products that I happen to love.
Two people will win what I call a “Honey Stinger Smorgasbord:” A box-sized sampling of each of the awesome energy food Honey Stinger has to offer.
- 1 box of Waffles, winner chooses flavor
- 1 box of energy bars, winner chooses flavor
- 1 box of gels, winner chooses flavor
- 1 box energy chews, winner chooses flavor
- 1 box 10g or 20g protein bars, winner chooses flavor
That’s enough Honey Stinger stuff to get you hooked, I think. Mmmm. Sweet, sweet addiction.
Hey, is that guy going bowling? No, biking. It’s a full-on technical cycling jersey, but with a different cut and look. Club Ride has got a unique look that allows you to feel comfortable both during and after the ride.
Club Ride is providing two prizes: one mens’ shorts and jersey kit (your choice of each), and one womens’ shorts and jersey kit.
For myself, I’d go with the Half Rack shorts, maybe matched with the mens’ Bowler shirt.
But that’s just me.
The Real Reason We’re Doing This
Of course, prizes are fun, and I like to give them out. But — we both know it — the real reason you’re donating is not in the hope you’re going to win something. It’s because by doing so, you are, in a very simple and practical way, making a life better. You’re giving a chance to a kid who otherwise isn’t getting a lot of chances.
And I think you are awesome for that.
Thank you for donating, and I hope you win.