Volunteers keep Tour de Cure rolling
Published 8:53 pm Saturday, March 31, 2012
The American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure is coming to Suffolk in just three weeks, and volunteers are lining up to help make the event happen. However, more volunteers are needed to fill certain roles.
“The volunteers are essential to an event this size,” said Amie Holman, Tour de Cure manager. “We certainly rely on a good base of volunteers.”
The event will be held April 21. The bicycle ride starts and ends at King’s Fork High School and covers four different routes: 10-, 30-, 65- and 100-mile options.
Several Suffolk groups already have jumped on board. The Holland Ruritan Club and Holland Community House board members will be running a rest stop at the community house, which sits on the two longest routes.
The Holland Community House board has donated the use of the facility and the Ruritans are donating their time, said Carol Warren, a member of the Holland Ruritans.
“We want to do our part,” Warren said. “With this coming to Suffolk, we jumped right on board.”
Warren said the rest stop will feature healthy snacks and drinks, restrooms and air-conditioning.
“We’ll be cheering on the bikers, rolling them in and rolling them out,” Warren said, adding that several other Ruritan clubs are participating.
A group of employees from the Target Import Warehouse in Suffolk also are participating, both as riders and as volunteers. The volunteers will be set up at a rest stop in Whaleyville.
“We’ve actually been involved in a variety of ways for the last few years,” said Heather Hise, general manager at the warehouse. “I think this is a cause that is near and dear to a lot of hearts of our team members. Our team loves to give back, and it’s a great opportunity for us to network and have fellowship outside of work.”
Additional volunteers still are needed for a variety of opportunities, from site breakdown to cheerleading at the finish line, Holman said. Below are volunteer slots still available and the times they will be needed.
- Band (drumline) — 7 to 10:45 a.m.
- Supply and Gear vehicle — 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Finish line cheerleaders — 3 to 6 p.m.
- Route sweeping — 5 to 7 p.m.
- Site breakdown — 6 to 8 p.m.
- Unload in Chesapeake — 8 to 9 p.m.
For more information or to register, visit www.diabetes.org/hamptonroadsvatour.