Volunteers are an integral part of the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure bicycle ride.

It takes hundreds of them before, during and after the event to pull off such a large fundraiser. And one man — a Suffolk resident — is in charge of them all.

Brian Caldwell has lived in Suffolk since December, after being stationed in the area thanks to the U.S. Navy since 2013.

He has been involved with Tour de Cure since around 2011, when he was stationed in Jacksonville. The organization was seeking volunteers within the local military commands, and it appealed to Caldwell, because his mother has diabetes.

“It means a little more if you have it in the family,” Caldwell said. “I like to stay involved, and it seemed like a pretty neat event to volunteer for.”

During his first year volunteering in Jacksonville, he was a floater and a greeter. His second year, he ended up in charge of parking and as a point of contact for all of the military volunteers.

When he moved back to Hampton Roads, he got in contact with the Hampton Roads chapter of the American Diabetes Association.

“It’s just as fun to do the Tour here as it was there,” he said. “There’s a lot of people in this area that want to do things for the community, especially military. They care for their community.”

Caldwell has become the volunteer coordinator here in Hampton Roads, in charge of lining up the hundreds of people who will help out on the big day.

He said it hasn’t been at all difficult to find willing volunteers.

“If you start early, you get a lot of people that actually want to come forward,” he said.

Caldwell said his mother, who is doing well with her diabetes, is proud of him.

“I talked to my mom about it, and she’s proud,” he said. “With me going out there and doing it, she thinks that’s pretty neat.”

The 2017 Hampton Roads Tour de Cure will take place April 29, beginning and ending at King’s Fork High School. The route options are 10, 25, 65 or 100 miles.

There is a $25 registration fee and a $200 fundraising minimum. The fundraising goal is $450,000; so far about $146,000 has been raised.

Visit www.diabetes.org/hamptonroadsvatour for more information about the fundraiser or to volunteer.