SMART Ride Ends

Photo via Chris Caputo, Facebook.

3. Twenty rides, thousands of lives touched, more than $16 million raised. The SMART Ride’s legacy will live on, even though the event will not. Glen Weinzimer founded the ride when he became frustrated that HIV/AIDS fundraisers weren’t returning a lot of money to the community. The SMART Ride, an annual, 165-mile trip to Key West, was the largest bike ride in the country to return 100% of money raised.

Weinzimer also had to make the tough decision to end the event. In January, he announced he was handing over the reins to Todd Delmay. During the year-long transition, Delmay chose to take another job, and the board decided SMART Ride needed full-time attention.

Longtime teams and benefitting agencies are working together to continue the mission, though they haven’t announced anything concrete.

– John Hayden