GT Pie BLog

Traverse City, Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau County successfully delivered cyclist racing and audience excitement from August 12-14 on behalf of 4th Annual Cherry-Roubaix presented by Garan, Lucow, Miller, P.C. Cherry-Roubaix also created opportunity for businesses and volunteers to get involved and channel attention and fundraising efforts to cancer-related and children’s advocacy charities with inspiration of Cherry-Roubaix and follow-through of sponsors.

Celebrating a culmination of weekend events on Sunday, August 14 with the Michigan Bike Race Association and USA Cycling 2011 State Road Race Championship, Cherry-Roubaix and several sponsors spotlighted support for those affected by cancer plus focused on children’s advocacy issues throughout the three-day event. With support from Cherry-Roubaix participants, volunteers and spectators, these beneficial opportunities included:

• Cherry-Roubaix Charity Ride on Saturday morning raised $6,410 to benefit Munson Women’s Cancer Fund. Charity Ride sponsors in addition to Cherry-Roubaix and presenting sponsor Garan, Lucow, Miller P.C. include Priority Health, Park Place Hotel, Alfie Logo Gear for Work and Play, Yen Yoga & Fitness, Impres Salon & Spa and Jolly Pumpkin.
• Huntington Bank raised a supplemental contribution for Munson Women’s Cancer Fund through donations by customers during a Huntington Bank promotion to randomly give away a Specialized bicycle.
• Cherry-Roubaix offered signature blue “Us TOO” International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network wrist bands and information to participants and spectators. In addition, four high-performance Fizik bicycle seats were given to Old Town Criterium Prime winners to promote Prostate Cancer Awareness. The Cherry-Roubaix Old Town Crit bike seat giveaway was sponsored by Bay Area Urology, Byte Productions and the Traverse City “Us TOO” chapter.

Grand Traverse Pie Company created a signature “Cherry-Roubaix Cherry Pie” for sale August 10-14 in Traverse City GT Pie Co. stores. $5 from each of the 115 Cherry-Roubaix pies sold was donated to the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, a community-based, child-focused and child-friendly organization where representatives from many disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, treatment and prosecution of child abuse cases to ensure that children are not further victimized by the intervention systems designed to protect them. Sales of the Cherry-Roubaix Cherry Pies generated $575 for the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center. GT Pie Co. co-founder Mike Busley says, “So far, with the National Cherry Festival, the Traverse City Film Festival, and now the Cherry-Roubaix event, we have generated over $6,000 in 2011 for this cause. I know we can do even better next year.”

Find online links below to the organizations that benefited from Cherry-Roubaix event-inspired initiatives of sponsors and received contributions of participants, spectators and northern Michigan communities and visitors:

Munson Women’s Cancer Fund: http://www.munsonhealthcare.org/clinical_svcs/women_children/womens_services/wc_womens_cancer_fund.php.

Prostate cancer information from American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer.

Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network: http://www.ustoo.com.

Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center: http://www.traversebaycac.org/.

5th Annual Cherry-Roubaix will take place in August 2012. Expect online registration for the 2012 event to open in May 2012 at www.cherry-roubaix.com. To stay informed or get involved as a 2012 participant or volunteer, visit the Cherry-Roubaix web site at www.cherry-roubaix.com. To ask questions about sponsorship and specific areas of interest, contact Cherry-Roubaix at info@cherry-roubaix.com.