What We Have Done This Year
We’re down to the last few days of this year, which is a perfect time to sit back, relax, and quietly reflect on what has happened during the past twelve months. After all, by thinking about what you’ve done — both good and bad — you gain insight into what you want to do differently (as well as the same) in the future.
Unfortunately for me, though, I’m currently about 30% done writing a research report (yes, I write research reports as part of my day job. Envy me.) that ought to be about 90% done right now. Until I finish that (hard deadline of Wednesday, thanks), there will be very little quiet moments of reflection happening here.
There may, however, be moans of panic.
That said, I do want to take a moment today to recognize what we, as Team Fatty, have accomplished this year, as do-ers of good deeds. I think it’s a pretty impressive list.
Team Fatty started its dominance in the universe of charitable giving with LiveStrong, and we continued this proud tradition in 2011. Specifically, at the LiveStrong Davis Challenge, we raised the most money — $118,000 — and were the largest team. In fact, of all awards given at that event, Team Fatty won…all of them.
We did that as a team by raising money through bike giveaways, by selling jerseys, and by doing the 100 Miles of Nowhere.
More importantly, though, we did it by members of Team Fatty using their collective genius to creatively find ways to ask other people to help out.
We also had an amazingly good time, from an extraordinary team gathering at the Bicycle Museum to pie after the ride to the ride itself.
I loved it all, and I can’t wait to do it again. Click here to join Team Fatty for LiveStrong Davis in 2012. It’ll be fun. We’ll meet at the Bike Museum again.
We’ll eat more pie.
And since this will be the largest gathering of Team Fatty in 2012, you really should do it.
You’ll have a great time, and you’ll be doing something important toward helping in the fight against cancer.
It’s worth the effort, both in terms of good you’ll be doing and fun you’ll be having. I promise.
American Fork Canyon Half Marathon
This was a local event, but I loved being part of it and I loved what it represented. This first-ever half marathon raised $55,000, with all of it going toward cancer treatment for those who could not afford it.
Right now, with the economy in the tank, knowing that we did something good for some people who otherwise would have to compound their suffering over cancer itself with anxiety over paying for treatment, well, I’m glad that Team Fatty and I were able to be a part of it.
Grand Slam for Zambia
Team Fatty’s most incredible success this year has to have been the “Grand Slam for Zambia” project, where we set the audacious goal of raising enough money — $134,000 — to buy 1000 bikes for kids in Zambia, thereby providing the catalyst to change 1000 lives for the better, in a very big way.
Well, we didn’t quite raise that $134,000.
No, we raised $158,507.00. Enough to buy 1,125 bikes.
Mind-boggling.
And you know what? Those bikes are starting to make their way into kids’ hands. We’ve got video. I’ll show you soon.
You will be so proud of what you have been part of.
Team Fatty got its first taste at being the title sponsor of an event. Which really means that I got to donate some money to a local event because the money they are raising will be used to buy a blanket warmer for the cancer center Susan used to go to for chemo treatments. I can easily imagine how much she would have liked to have a nice warm blanket while she sat and got chemo, so this was an easy event to support.
Yes, we’ll definitely be doing this again in 2012. Mark your calendar for July 14!
Young Survival Coalition Tour de Pink
My friend Dustin Brady — Marketing Guru for Shimano — made a couple of promises to his fiancé before she passed away: to support the Young Survival Coalition, and to race the Kona Ironman.
Team Fatty was proud to follow Dustin as he kept his race goal and to help Dustin with supporting YSC. In fact, Team Fatty raised $22,005 for the Tour de Pink, and got to send breast cancer survivor Heather S to ride the Tour de Pink as a Team Fatty ambassador.
We’re going to be back in 2012. In much greater numbers.
A kid in my neighborhood fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His family doesn’t have a lot of money for treatment, and I asked you all to help me raise some money for him by buying my book, with the plan being that I’d use all profits from the sales of 100 books to go to Stephen.
Well, you all came through, big time, by donating and buying books. In one weekend, we raised $3141 for Stephen’s treatment.
Levi’s GranFondo
What we did with Levi’s GranFondo definitely put the “fun” in “fundraising. Beginning with an appeal to Levi’s sense of decency, which was responded to by his tough-talking lawyers, then finally settled by the good folks at BikeMonkey.
We gave away an awesome trip and other schwag, and raised $7405 for the many good causes supported by Levi’s GranFondo.
To be honest, I’m not sure my book belongs in this list, because it’s not like in this case I’m raising money to go toward a charity.
No, I’m raising it for myself, in order to build the nest egg I need to research and write the Caretaker’s Companion book I want to do.
So let’s just include it and say that more than 1600 of you have bought a copy so far. Which is a pretty great start for a book that’s been out for less than a month.
Sales of that book are ongoing, by the way. Details on buying the paperback, Kindle, and autographed versions of the book can all be found here.
Thank You
I’m not going to go and add up how much money Team Fatty raised this year. Even though I’m pretty sure it would add up to an awesome number.
I’m not going to go back and count how many fundraisers we did. Even though there were a lot.
Because what matters — as far as I am concerned — is that, pretty much non-stop, we kept doing something good, for some important cause. All throughout the year.
In 2011, Team Fatty made a big difference in a lot of people’s lives. For the good.
All while being remarkably silly.
Thank you for being a part of that.
Comment by Clydesteve | 12.26.2011 | 10:52 am
Thanks for helping us come togeter, Fatty.
Happy New Year, Team Fatty!
Comment by Heber Chad - ldsphi | 12.26.2011 | 11:01 am
Wow, amazing year Team Fatty. Super proud to have played a small part. Thank you for being the epicenter for such an amazing group of people.
Cheers
ldsphi
Comment by Evelin B - New Zealand | 12.26.2011 | 11:51 am
Thanks for providing the platform that allows no matter where we live in the world be part of something that is able to help so many!!! Happy New Year to all!!!!
Comment by Mark M | 12.26.2011 | 12:23 pm
We bought a book, a Zambia bike, and made a few more contributions in 2011. Looking forward to more great opportunities to give in 2012! Thanks Fatty and keep on asking.
Comment by Kevin B aka wheel sucker | 12.26.2011 | 1:02 pm
2011 was a great year. My close friend survived breast cancer and my aunt survived ovarian cancer. I am proud to be part of Team Fatty. Thanks for your support of the innagural AF Canyon Half Marathon.
BTW, my wife and I got tons of awesome remarks as we sported our fatty christmas sweater/t-shirt. That is truly awesome.
Here’s to an even better 2012 for you, the Hammer, and the entire Fatty gang.
Comment by Doug (way upstate NY) | 12.26.2011 | 1:15 pm
It was a blasting riding with my friends again this year. Three out of my four centuries this summer were in black and orange.
Looking forward to next year, and the prospect of soe high altitude long distance mountain bike races.
Comment by not much further... | 12.26.2011 | 1:16 pm
2011 was indeed a great year for Team Fatty!
We had so much fun at Livestrong Davis, met some great people at the awards dinner (and yes we honestly did come from London!), took part in the amazing Vineman/Barbs Race also in CA (and raised money for cancer charities as part of that) – and bought bikes for Zambia, and got a book for Xmas.
So all in all, a pretty amazing year and one in which I rode the furthest since a 2010 head injury (Davis) and completed a half ironman distance race (Barbs)…..and won the Chris Horner jersey!!
Thank you Fatty and everyone else for help making 2011 a very special year.
Comment by Doug (way upstate NY) | 12.26.2011 | 1:16 pm
Totally enjoying the book BTW……..
Comment by lynn e | 12.26.2011 | 1:49 pm
Looking forward to the ride….
Comment by Jeff Dieffenbach | 12.26.2011 | 2:06 pm
Don’t forget LiveStrong Philly–must have been another $10k at least. Go Team Fatty!
Comment by Scott R | 12.26.2011 | 3:36 pm
Merry Christmas, Fatty. And looking forward to the New Year.
Comment by Brian in VA | 12.26.2011 | 3:51 pm
Wow! I found this blog and neighborhood in August after taking up riding again as my preferred method for cardio. This place got me contributing to some great causes and looking for more ways to help out. So, I’m riding my first century in June for the Tour de Cure diabetes as well as some others.
Thanks to all of Team Fatty! You are truly amazing in your desire to help others and it restores my faith in our world.
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope to meet some of you in the future.
Brian
Comment by LMNOP | 12.26.2011 | 6:32 pm
I will have to try to make it out for Tour de Donut! Was that the for Huntsman Center? My father-in-law spent many visits over too many years there…he has a brick there too. I can’t eat glazed donuts though…can I bring my own?
Awesome job on the fundraising!!
From a Mom of a teenaged cancer SURVIVOR!
Comment by roadrash | 12.26.2011 | 6:56 pm
Congrats to all of Team Fatty. The world is indeed a better place.
Comment by Carl | 12.26.2011 | 7:48 pm
I am always so proud to be a member of Team Fatty! Hope everyone has a prosperous New Year.
Comment by Lonster | 12.26.2011 | 8:18 pm
What an amazing year for Team Fatty. Two of us are already signed up for Davis Livestrong again. Time to train for Pie.
Comment by davidh-marin, ca | 12.26.2011 | 9:49 pm
Fatty.
Thank you for recapping just a small part of what we (YOU) accomplished this year. While our family makes donations, I’m convinced it’s through your enthusiasm and creativity that we donate more than we realize…. gladly.
Looking forward to Davis, I’ll start my pie planning now… maybe add BBQ at our tent too.
Donuts. Oh, how I love donuts… with Diet Coke (they neutralize each other-modern science) I was committed to coming to Utah just for the donuts, but my tandem partner ‘gifted’ me a slot in the Death Ride (http://www.deathride.com/index.html ) 129 mi. 15K of climbing. Looks like I’ll have my own ’suffering’ story this summer.
Hope to see a lot of Fatties in So. Cal., Fish Tacos in Carpenteria anyone?? And maybe a roadside stop at an Avocado Ranch for a Fatty Field Demonstration.
Thank you again for making giving so much fun. Making riding have a bigger purpose than health. And allowing us to share stories in a community of friends proud to be called Fatties.
david h marin california
Comment by john adamson | 12.26.2011 | 10:14 pm
A good year indeed! And there’s that accomplishment in that little race in Leadville. Yeah.
What a year.
John
Comment by Chris | 12.27.2011 | 8:30 am
Don’t foregt, you added some much needed humor to days that were other sometimes humorless. For that I say thanks.
Comment by RodNeeds2Ride | 12.27.2011 | 5:19 pm
Glad to be a part of this awesome Team!
Just signed up for LiveStrong-Davis, I’m a newbie but I think I can pretty much pie-eat anyone under the table!
Oh, and my Christmas shirt was worn proudly all Christmas day. Except for church, I was in a double quartet. Dang, maybe I should have worn it then too…
Comment by RodNeeds2Ride | 12.27.2011 | 5:28 pm
Oh, and the Utah Tour de Donut has changed dates to July 7, 2012! Come one, come all!
Comment by davidh-marinca | 12.27.2011 | 10:05 pm
YEAH!!!! YEAH!!!! YEAH!!!! TOUR De DONUT!! Sounds like a trip to Utah is in the plans. Seems like a donut tour is just the thing before tackling the Sierra Passes. Care to join me?
Comment by Yukirin Boy | 12.28.2011 | 5:20 pm
A big Thank you and congratulations to Fatty and everyone who joined in with Team Fatty for an incredible year.
Comment by Rumpled/Jim | 12.29.2011 | 5:39 pm
Wow, when totalled up, that’s quite a lot accomplished.
I just signed up for Livestrong Davis – now just need to get the hall pass to go and do some fundraising; which I’m not all that good at.
I did participate in a small way in some of these; nice to be part of such a successful group.
For myself, I’ve got a few fundraising events planned in 2012 on the bike.
Ride for Rwanda
Tour de Cure Long Beach
Tour de Cure Napa
100 MON
Livestrong Davis
Levi’s Medio Fondo
Should keep me busy
Comment by Fat Monte | 01.3.2012 | 2:52 pm
Kindled your book, Fatty! Awesome Christmas present to myself.
Made the chocolate chip/oatmeal cake. Gained five pounds.
Thanks, Fatty. Now I’m even fatter. Changing my name to Full Monte. Argh!
Comment by Susie H | 01.3.2012 | 4:03 pm
so, so proud to be a part of Team Fatty, and so, so excited to be a real participant and volunteer at this year’s Livestrong Davis Challenge! Yay, us!
Comment by Houston Real Estate Agents | 01.8.2012 | 10:54 pm
Thank you for sharing all that you have done. There is no better way to give back to the community than to raise money by putting on fun, healthy endurance events. Keep up the great work. You are in inspiration to more people than you will ever know!