Remembering a Wonderful Person

Today, Best Buddies employees are taking the day to remember and reflect on the inspiring life of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Her dedication to the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through the Special Olympics - and influence of the shaping and building of Best Buddies with her son, Best Buddies founder Anthony Kennedy Shriver - guides all of us on a daily basis as we try to make the world a better place. In her honor, we'd like to share a video dedicated to Mrs. Shriver that our friends at Plymouth Rock Studios haves put together.

Find more videos like this on Hollywood East TV


We will continue to celebrate all of Mrs. Shriver's incredible achievements as we get closer to the Audi Best Buddies Challenge Hearst Castle. For more information about this amazing woman, please visit: http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/.

Fundraising Tip of the Week: Tour de France

With the biggest race in the cycling world well underway, the 21-stage, 96th Tour de France gives you a few, creative fundraising opportunities.
1. Throw a viewing party for your friends. Have each person donate a small amount ($20 or more) and then watch the pros as they pedal through their three-week journey around France. Be sure to keep an eye out for Hearst Castle alumni riders David Zabriskie and Ryder Hesjedal who will be racing the tour on Team Garmin-Slipstream!

2. Start a friendly pool with friends, family and co-workers, making bets on who will win the whole thing! To make sure this helps you raise funds, let your Ride Coach know your plans, and we can send you some loot for the winners. Everyone chips in $20, which will count as a donation towards your fundraising goal, and the winners will recieve Best Buddies jerseys, riding gloves, etc!

3. Organize a Tour-de-France spin-a-thon. Create a French music playlist to spin to, and take a 20-mile stretch from that day’s course to mimic. Basically, as you are spinning away, the pros are doing the same. Charge an entry fee and sell raffle tickets for people to bet on what the day’s best time will be. Donations go to you, winner wins a Best Buddies jersey.

Ride Coach Jeremiah Angel Recommends: "Overcoming"

Clips from the 2005 documentary, "Overcoming"

Before the 2009 edition of Tour de France starts on Saturday I'd like to recommend searching out a somewhat hard to find, but well worth the effort, 2005 documentary titled "Overcoming." The film is a profound and penetrating insight into the hermetically closed world of professional cycling. With former pro rider, Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis as the protagonist, the documentary follows him and his new Team CSC as they strive for the impossible: to become the world's best and win the 2004 Tour de France. Also notably featured in the documentary is Team CSC rider Bobby Julich, who participated in last year's Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle. The film is epic, beautifully shot and gives viewers a unique and personal account of what it's like to participate in the world's toughest sporting event, the Tour de France.

It's Registration Time!

Alright all of you fence-sitters...let this be one final final push for you to register for the 2009 Audi Best Buddies Challenge. Yes, there is still 2 and a half months until the ride...and yes, you will still be able to register after Tuesday, but the next 5 days are the last 5 days that anyone will be able to register at our lower, fundraising commitment level of $1,450!


Let me give you a few reasons to register:

1. 100% of your fundraising commitment will got directly back into Best Buddies programs and make a difference in so many people's lives. Best Buddies needs your support more than ever and every donation helps.

2. This is the only 5-star, Highway 1 century ride that will be jam packed with incredible views, a challenging and rewarding route, after-ride festivities that will blow your mind (hot showers, professional massage, gourmet Hearst Castle BBQ, Ciara Concert...I could keep going...), and the certainty that you are doing it all for a fantastic cause.

3. Last Sunday was my (Cate, the ride coach's) birthday...and having you register would be a fantastic belated bday gift! (In fact, let's get 23 new riders/runners/walkers before July in honor of the age I just turned...that would be AWESOME!)

4. What fantastic motivation for summer fitness than to have a big ride/run/walk to be committed to at the very end of the summer?!

After Tuesday, the lowest fundraising level will be $1,700...which is still not too shabby, but why not commit now to $1,450 and then surpass that goal! Click here to begin the registration process. Email hccoach@bestbuddies.org with any questions! Join us and challenge yourself to change lives!

This Weekend's Best Buddies Training Rides

Hello Bay Area Riders,

I know this is a little last minute, but I’d like to invite you all to two great training rides just scheduled for this weekend. The weather forecast is looking great for Saturday and Sunday and with under 100-days until our big ride to the Hearst Castle, now is the time to take advantage of your weekends and put some good training miles under your legs. So come on out and meet some of your fellow event participants for two fun and relaxed training rides.

Saturday’s Ride:
Location: Cyclepath Bicycles (337 B Main St, Pleasanton, CA 94566)
Time: 8:15 am
Distance: Choice of 43, 20 or 30-mile ride

Join Best Buddies as we team up with KCBS, Channel 5's, Roberta Gonzales and Cyclepath Bicycles in downtown Pleasanton for a great ride around the East Bay. Departing Cyclepath Bicycles at 8:15 am, the ride will be an easy paced 43 miles with several stops for regrouping and turn off points for shorter 20 or 30 mile loops. Cyclepath Bicycles is located at 337 B Main St. (Behind the Bank of America Building), Pleasanton, CA 94566. Following the ride will be a barbeque lunch back at Cyclepath Bicycles! Click here for a detailed route map.

Sunday’s Ride:
Location: Longs Drug Store (3420 Camino Tassajara, Danville, CA 94506)
Time: 9:00 am
Distance: 44 miles with an optional 25 mile Mt. Diablo extension.

Team PG&E would like to invite all riders to join in on their second team training ride of the year. Team Captain, Keith Reed, will lead a group on a mostly flat ride through Danville into Livermore Valley at a casual no drop pace. The ride will depart from Longs Drug Store in Danville at 9:00 am. Upon returning from the ride, those who wish to put in some additional miles can continue on for a 25 mile extended ride up Mt. Diablo (2,500 ft of climbing). Click here for a detailed route map.

If you have any questions regarding these rides, please call Jeremiah Angel at 415.379.4729.

Also, future training rides will be posted up on the Training Rides section of our website at least five days in advance. If you are interested in attending future rides, I would highly suggest visiting that section of our website before planning your weekend training. And lastly, if you or your team is interested in leading a weekend training ride please let me know and I’ll work with you to get information about your group ride on our website and in other communications with other Audi Best Buddies Challenge riders.


See you on the road,

Jeremiah Angel
Audi Best Buddies Challenge Coach

Fundraising Tip of the Week: 100 Days Until HC

Hi Everyone! It's been a little while since our last post. We had an extremely successful Hyannis Port Challenge and have been recovering for a week or so. We'll be sharing photos from the event as soon as they come back. Hearst Castle participants...if HC is anywhere near as awesome as HP was, you are in for an unforgettable day!

Now, down to fundraising business. Last Thursday, June 4, marked 100 days until the Hearst Castle ride. Friday, June 12, marks exactly 3 months until HC. Whatever way you want to look at it, September 12 is coming up quickly and before we know it, you'll be coasting down the PCH. In honor of 100 days until the event...err, 94 days...I wanted to share this special letter sample we've drafted for participants to share with donors. Send it out to 10 people, asking for $10, and you've got yourself a quick and easy $100! Happy Fundraising!

Dear (Your Friend’s Name),

100 days from now, I’ll proudly sport my bike shorts and Audi Best Buddies Challenge jersey, and cycle 100 miles from Carmel to San Simeon to support people with intellectual disbilities! And I need your support to get me there!

The Best Buddies Challenge is a one-of-a-kind five-star event, and it benefits a very important organization. Best Buddies is an international non-profit that supports people with intellectual disabilities by providing one-on-one friendships and integrated employment opportunities. In middle schools, high schools, colleges, and businesses across the country people are benefitting because of Best Buddies. Every single dollar that I raise will go directly to this great organization, so you can feel confident that 100% of your donations benefit people with intellectual disabilities! You can learn more about Best Buddies at www.bestbuddies.org.

Please consider making your tax deductible donation today. To kick-off the 100 –day count down to the Audi Best Buddies Challenge, I am committed to raising at least $100 this week- and with your help I know I can exceed that! As I cycle 100 miles along the coast of California, I’ll be thinking of you and your support, and when I cross the finish line on September 12, I’ll know that your donation made each and every mile happen. If you’d like to make a donation to me quickly and easily, visit hcchallenge.org then click on “sponsor participant,” and then search for me. You can also support my participation in the Audi Best Buddies Challenge Ride by sending me a check, written out to Best Buddies. I’ll be sure your donation gets to Best Buddies right away!

Thanks so much! And if you happen to be free 100 days from now, please come out and cheer me on! I’ll need it!

All my best,

Your Name Here

Register a Friend and Get $100 Towards Your Fundraising Commitment!

We are all about promoting friendships at Best Buddies and so this month, we invite you to Challenge Yourself AND a Friend to Change Lives. From May 1 to May 30, when you and a friend register to Ride, Walk or Run in the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle, you will each receive a $100 credit toward your fundraising goal!

Here's How it Works:

Step 1: Get yourself registered! It’s so easy to do, just click here to get started!

Step 2: Ask a friend or family member to join you! Have them take the first step and register for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle at http://www.bestbuddieschallenge.org/.

Step 3: Let us know who you referred to register and get your $100 Credit! Email HCCoach@bestbuddies.org with your full first and last name, and the name of the friend you referred, so we can make sure you both get your credit.

That's It! You and your friend will be $100 closer to your fundraising commitment while also changing the lives of those living with intellectual disabilities.

For more information, please contact us at HCCoach@bestbuddies.org or call 1-800-718-3536

*$100 Credit will be applied prior to Hearst Castle Event Check-In *Limit of one promotion per person (maximum fundraising credit allowed is $100) *Offer valid for non-sponsor team registrations only *$100 Credit is non-transferable.

Our Next Bay Area Training Ride

We hope everyone has enjoyed the great weather in the Bay Area these last few days. What perfect conditions for riding! That being said, we'd like to invite you to join your fellow riders this weekend for a training ride.

Ride Coach Jeremiah Angel will be leading a group ride departing from Golden Gate Park at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 25. Jeremiah will take the group on a ~35 mile ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and around the beautiful Tiburon Peninsula (AKA, The Paradise Loop). Click Here for a detailed look at Saturday's route on MapMyRide.com. Riders can expect an easy to moderate pace over the rolling terrain with a few stops for regrouping along the way.

For more information or to RSVP for this group ride, please email Jeremiah Angel . We can't wait to see you on Saturday!

WHAT: Audi Best Buddies Challenge training ride led by Ride Coach, Jeremiah Angel

WHEN: Saturday, April 25. Ride will depart Golden Gate Park (corner of Transverse & Overlook) at 10:00 am.

WHERE: Golden Gate Park to Tiburon (AKA, The Paradise Loop). Approximately 35-miles.

Please RSVP to Jeremiah as soon as possible to confirm your attendance and receive more details about the ride.

Note: In the case of rain, our training ride will be canceled. All those who RSVP will be notified of any cancelation on Saturday morning.

Have a question? Email JeremiahAngel@bestbuddies.org or call 415.379.4729.