SONY - Hudson Valley
   PO Box 744
   3 Cross Road
   Holmes, NY 12531

How to Contribute

Each rider must raise a minimum of $2,000 in pledges with checks payable to “Special Olympics New York (SONY – Hudson Valley Region)”. For some this will be easy, while others will find it more challenging than the ride itself. Just as with the training, keeping your focus on the issue and pacing yourself will help you to be successful.

Before you begin your fund raising, set a goal. It may be also helpful to set mini-goals. Incorporate these mini-goals into your training calendar, and be sure to ask for help EARLY if you need it. The various organizations benefiting from the Bresnan Bike Tour have educational materials to help you become more familiar with their missions and how these funds are used.

We have provided sample letters to assist you with your fund raising efforts. Start early and make it your goal to submit your funds before the ride starts. Too often, riders have held on to their checks for several months after the ride. By the time they are submitted for payment, these checks have gone stale and banks may be reluctant to cash them. You should plan to start your fundraising immediately after the February dinner (or when you start your training) and plan to have your minimum of $2,000 of pledges raised and collected before the ride begins.

The most significant thing you can do is let people know they can help change the lives of others less fortunate by making a pledge and that they can help even if they cannot ride. People will be amazed at your commitment to ride so many miles, believing that they could not do what you are about to do. Talk with them about your training and the other riders that you have met. Get them involved by asking them to be your sponsors. Do not forget to remind people that their pledges are tax deductible.

Once you begin receiving your pledges, please forward them to the following address: Teresa Gilli, Special Olympics New York - Hudson Valley Region, P.O. Box 744, 3 Cross Road, Holmes, NY 12531.

As you accumulate a few, send them along for processing. This helps the beneficiaries with cash flow, allows the check to be returned to the sponsor for accounting purposes and eliminates the chance of checks being “tucked away” and never heard from for months, which causes problems for everyone. Once Special Olympics receives a check it is credited to your account and an acknowledgement is forwarded to the sponsor. Please try to insure that you have an address for each sponsor. Remember, if you qualify for matching gifts, get the application, fill out your portion and forward it to Special Olympics for completion.