The 12th Annual Tour da Goose Bike Ride fundraiser will be held in June, according to information released by the Rock River Community Clinic.
In advance of the event, and as preparations are being made, the group is seeking sponsors, according to a recent media release.
Funds from the event are used to support the clinic’s operations, the release noted.
The facility operates clinics in Whitewater, Watertown and Jefferson, and a dental clinic in Fort Atkinson.
The event will be held Saturday, June 22.
This year, the event will offer routes, ranging from 12 to 100 miles, designed to accommodate riders of all levels, the release stated.
Routes begin and end in Watertown’s Riverside Park, 916 LaBaree St., and span the full-service area of the Rock River Community Clinic.
Participants also will find a post-ride party at Riverside Park, including food and entertainment.
Those interested in registering for the ride or participating as volunteers are encouraged to visit the event’s website, and make use of the following link: https://tourdagoose.com/register/.
Within the release, the clinic’s executive director and CEO, Olivia Nichols, noted that the event is designed to be fun and family-friendly. She added: “We have set an ambitious goal to raise $50,000 from the 2024 event, and the overall fundraising success of the event relies heavily on the generosity of local individuals, businesses and organizations to fill sponsorship slots.”
According to the release, in 2024, event is seeking a total of 41 sponsors. Those interested in sponsorship can pledge at one of the following levels: Platinum, in an amount of $5,000; Gold, in an amount of $2,500; Silver, in an amount of $1,000, and Bronze, in an amount of $500.
Within each level there are predetermined available spots. The clinic is seeking one Platinum sponsor, five Gold sponsors, 10 Silver sponsors, and 25 Bronze sponsors.
“Each level of sponsorship includes varying benefits of brand recognition, public acknowledgements, and complimentary registrations, among others, according to the release.
Within the release, Nichols stated that while sponsors in the past have been attracted to sponsorship because they support the clinic’s mission, the clinic’s leadership understands the importance of “creating a mutually beneficial relationship by offering our sponsors a number of opportunities to be acknowledged and credited for their generous support.”
She described the fundraising event as one which attracts “hundreds of participants” from across Jefferson County, along with myriad volunteers.
Promotion for the event begins “months” in advance, she noted within the release.
Sponsorship levels and slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
Those interested in sponsorship are encouraged to contact Nichols by email: director@rockrivercommunityclinic.org.
Sponsors will be sought until May 1st or until sports are filled, the release noted.
About the tour
According to the release, the tour was founded in 2013 by biking enthusiasts Rita Brafford and the late Jon Fisch, who succumbed to cancer that year. The Tour da Goose continues in Fisch’s members as a charity bike ride that includes participants from across the Jefferson County area. The event was initially established as a fundraiser for the Watertown Area Cares Clinic (WACC) to provide operational support for healthcare services in that community. As healthcare services evolved, so did the WACC, which merged with three other county clinics to establish the Rock River Community Clinic.
“Over the event’s lifetime, Tour da Goose has raised over $300,000 and we look forward to another successful year of this important community event,” Brafford was quoted as saying in the release.
To learn more about the tour, visit its website: www.tourdagoose.com.
Traci Wilson, Medical Operations Manager at the Rock River Community Clinic, at left, helps a Tour da Goose participant check in during the event held in a previous year. Contributed photo.
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