Leah Stockton, Director of Development and Engagement for AH Monroe, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the organization.
AH Monroe focuses on health and housing.
Stockton said, “Our mission, and the way that we are able to do that and to carry out our mission is through the support of the community and donors and grantors, and in this case, riders. We have Tour de Keys. It is a charity bike ride this Saturday, and riders will be riding 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West, or 50 miles from Marathon to Key West. We have well over 200 riders signed up, and each and every one of them are raising funds to support AH Monroe and MARC as part of this event. We have people coming from all over, not just local, Tampa, Atlanta, all over coming down because it’s a beautiful ride, a once in a lifetime opportunity, likely for many people to get to ride down the highway. It’s a fully supported ride. So we have support vehicles throughout. We have rest stops, sheriff’s deputies to help with crossing the road. Royal Furniture is hosting us for a lunch along the way in Marathon, and then we’re going to have a big finish line celebration here in Key West.”
The Tourist Development Council is also involved with the ride.
Stockton said, “We are very grateful for the TDC support. They make it possible to do this marketing that brings, like I said, visitors in from all over and because it’s the start of Thanksgiving week, many of them are staying and enjoying the Keys. While they’re here, they’re bringing their friends or family with them. So these are the perfect sort of partnerships between TDC and local nonprofits that raise funds for our mission while also bringing people in to enjoy the Keys and support our local businesses that then are able to contribute to support the nonprofits. It’s sort of a full circle how this works.”
The event is aiming to raise in excess of $200,000.
Stockton said, “We are really making great progress toward that goal. We’re very excited. The momentum these last few days has really picked up as people make that last fundraising push. It’s been a rough year, both for the nonprofits and for the people that we serve. There’s no doubt about that, and so this ride will go a long way toward helping ensure that we can continue to provide those services and take care of the community.”
Can people cheer the participants?
Stockton said, “Absolutely, cheering them on as they ride. They’re going to come down the boulevard. So cheer them on as they come down the boulevard, down Truman, and then down into the park. If you’d like to financially contribute, you can go to the website and support the overall ride. You can pick your favorite rider. Our Executive Director, Scott Pridgen, is riding the 50 mile ride. That really shows his heart is in the mission. We’ll be waiting there at the finish, waiting for him and yes, if you’d like to support, I know he would be very grateful for anyone looking to contribute toward Tour de Keys because he really believes in in this mission as well.”
The riders had a registration fee that helps raise the funds, and then they can take individual pledges as well.
Stockton said, “The local group, the Mile Markers, they’re a cycling club here in town, and they have blown away everybody else when it comes to fundraising. I think they’re at $75,000. It’s incredible. All of their riders have been pitching in. And we’re really excited to, once again, have them be part of this event as well.”
Ride registration has closed.
Stockton said, “We are full up, and we have closed that, but there’s always next year, and you can still come down, check it out, see what it’s all about. Still time to support, cheer everybody on. Then next year, if that’s something that you’re in for, go ahead and sign up then. And we’d love to see you next fall. They start at 6:45, in the morning in Key Largo and they will be riding pretty much all day down through the Keys. And then by afternoon, I think you’ll start to see here in the Lower Keys and into Key West, you’ll start to see riders coming through. We’re excited for that. Be safe, watch for those riders out there on the highway and just everybody be courteous and safe with each other. If anybody has any questions or would like more information about AH Monroe or how to get further involved, please feel free to reach out to me. I’m always glad to have a conversation, and there’s lots of ways that we could really use the community support to be able to continue to do the work that we do.”
For more information, click here: https://tourdekeys.donordrive.com/home