- Allan Gould, Don Maison and Cece Cox accept a check from the Lone Star Ride. To see more photos from the wrap party on Sunday at Salum, go here.
On Sunday, Oct. 24, Lone Star Ride distributed $150,000 to AIDS Services of Dallas, the AIDS Outreach Center and Resource Center Dallas. AOC Executive Director Allan Gould, ASD President and CEO Don Maison and RCD Executive Director Cece Cox were on hand to accept the check.
At the party at Salum on Travis Street, Michael Veale was given an award for bringing in the most new donors.
Ralph Randall was the single biggest fundraiser. He attributed his success in collecting money to relentless behavior.
“You can’t be timid and raise money,” he said.
He didn’t allow the down economy to dissuade him from asking.
“This disease doesn’t have an economic cycle,” he said. “Always ask. All they can say is no. Don’t give up.”
He raised twice as much this year as he did last year. He said he did the ride in honor of a friend of his with HIV and he gave his plaque to him.
“I do a lot of these rides, ” said rider Allan Chernoff. “This is the best supported ride in Texas.”
“Absolutely!” said Eric Markinson about riding again next year. He is part of Team Blazing Saddles.
“I’m very proud of Team Dallas Voice,” said rider and Dallas Voice Publisher Robert Moore. “They worked very hard. They put the beneficiaries in sight on the road ahead.”
Team Dallas Voice raised more money than any other team in the history of the Lone Star Ride. The total topped $50,000 this year.
Shelly Morrow was a first-year rider from Glen Rose who is planning to participate again next year.
“The closing ceremonies really got to me,” she said.
The closing ceremonies held at base camp at the American Airlines Training and Conference Center near DFW Airport included a performance by the Turtle Creek Chorale and wheeling in the riderless bike. That bike symbolized all the people lost to AIDS. They retired the number of a rider who passed away since the previous ride.
“And next year, I’ll try not to take out anyone, especially a writer,” Morrow said.
Morrow and I collided about 18 miles into the ride. My back brakes failed as we were checking directions on the route. I went over my handlebars onto the street. Although we had been riding together for several miles, she didn’t realize that I wrote for Dallas Voice until she saw my write-up on this blog.
To see more photos from Sunday’s wrap party, go here.
