Bay Windows - Local News, September 23, 1999
Scott A. Giordano, Bay Windows staff

But none of the estimated 2,550 riders (including about 1,300 Boston riders) nor the thousands of paid staff and volunteers who spent all year laying the preparations for the annual event expected a visit from Hurricane Floyd, which became a New England tropical storm that brought torrential rain and wind to Boston just in time for the Ride's opening ceremonies.

The result: the riders ended up being bussed from Boston's Northeastern University to New Haven, Conn., on Sept. 16 rather than pedaling the planned 86 miles to Storrs, Conn. on that dayù essentially cutting the total number of miles they had to pedal to less than half of what they had expected to endure over their three-day trek to New York. In addition, AIDS Ride staff predict the total costs involved with the bus evacuation ù which required about 30 buses to transport riders and about six tractors to transport their bikes ù will add $15-20,000 to the Ride's expense ratio this year.

"The safety of our riders is our number one priority," said Chris Cole, national director for the American AIDS Rides, according to a Sept. 16 press release from PR Newswire.

In a follow-up interview with Bay Windows, Cole said the Ride went without any additional glitches and ended up grossing about $7 million, with about $3.6 million (including sponsorship money) expected to go to the FCHC ù before expenses are deducted from that amount.

"Some of the trucks were donated and those that weren't, we had to pay very minimal amounts for them. The whole evacuation will probably cost about $25,000, but overall, I'm not sure where we will end up because things will bring that amount lower because of savings on the other end," Cole said. "It probably will end up costing somewhere between $15-20,000."

Because the riders were paid a lump sum of money and were not paid per mile, the lack of miles pedaled will not harm their pledge revenue in any way.

Final figures for the AIDS Ride won't be available for at least another two weeks.

AIDS Ride funds raised for the FCHC will be used to provide people access to protease inhibitors and other AIDS-fighting drugs; and to provide primary medical care, mental health services and holistic therapy. The New York Ride beneficiaries are the N.Y. Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center and the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.

Relive the experience

Riders were expected to begin their trek at about 5:30 a.m. Sept. 16 from Boston's Northeastern University, but they instead were bussed to New Haven, with separate truckloads carrying their bicycles. The riders stayed at the New Haven Coliseum that evening.

As Floyd moved onward North, riders then pedaled 23 miles on Sept. 17 from Storrs to Bridgeport, Conn. and then completed their Ride to New York on Sept. 18, with closing ceremonies being held on that day. There were no major injuries reported along the route, Cole said.

While expressing disappointment that he was unable to pedal the entire 250 miles as he had planned, at least one local rider believes the Ride producers ù Pallotta TeamWorks, Inc. ù made the best decisions given this year's unusual circumstances.

"The overall feeling is that Pallotta TeamWorks did a great job in the decision-making that took place in such a short period of time, and that they were really looking out for the safety of everybody, which goes well before fund-raising," said Boston resident Bruce Reisman, who participated in his second AIDS Ride this year and raised more than $5,000 this year alone. "It was certainly a disappointment [to be bussed that distance], but it was the best thing that could have been done given the circumstances."

Despite this year's glitches, Reisman said the memories of this year's Ride will last a lifetime.

"You have your own community for three days and the riders were very helpful of each other. Besides the raising of funds and raising HIV awareness, the greatest accomplishment of the Ride is that each person gets something out of the Ride that will be a memory to last their entire lifetime. Everyone comes out of it with something different," he said, then recalling a moment that touched his heart during this year's Ride.

"There was a gentleman who was a positive peddler from New York who just came up to a friend of mine and said 'I don't know you, but I just had to tell someone that I have finally forgiven the person who gave me HIV. It took me five years, and I just did that now.' I heard about this from my friend, and even though it didn't happen to me, it really stuck with me the whole time. It is the little things like that make [the Ride] a memory I will never forget," Reisman said.

Glenn Kaufhold, FCHC director of development and marketing, told Bay Windows this year's unusual events resulted in a stronger sense of cooperation and community among the AIDS Ride participants.

"People knew they couldn't ride on the first day so everyone was very understanding. ... The community that was built was really amazing. ... People got to know people in ways they otherwise wouldn't have gotten to know them, especially having stayed at the Coliseum. . ... We really thank the community and especially the people in Connecticut for helping us with the logistics on this. It was amazing to see how people came together to make this happen," Kaufhold said.

Despite ongoing national controversy regarding high overhead expenses for the national American AIDS Rides, Reisman said he believes the Ride helps he and others to honor their loved ones affected by HIV/AIDS and to raise money for the FCHC.

"I was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 when I was living in New York. I moved back to Boston when I was diagnosed with AIDS in 1994 because my partner accepted a job here. Since I moved back here, I have been getting my health care at [the FCHC] and I feel as though I really literally owe them my life, so the Ride is my way of giving something back," he said.

"I rode for three people: the first one was my very best friend who was the first person I lost to AIDS, George Kenney; a friend from Los Angeles, Steve Hughes; and the third one was my very best friend when I lived in New York who was Roger Santos," Reisman added, in a choked-up voice. "The Ride contributes more money to Fenway Community Health Center here in Boston than anything else could. ... Even though a lot of people might find fault with Pallotta TeamWorks, one thing I think they don't realize is that Fenway would probably not be here without [the funds raised from the AIDS Ride]."
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