AIDS Vaccine 200 (AV 200) is a charity bike ride through the scenic Georgia countryside. The ride raises awareness and vital funds for HIV/AIDS vaccine research having donated to date over $3.5 million to the Emory Vaccine Center, one of the world's leading vaccine research centers working to find an HIV vaccine, and other beneficiaries. [1]
The 2-day ride takes place in May each year. More than 150 cyclists and an army of volunteers complete the ride each year. The ride begins on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta and passes through several small, Georgia towns until cyclists arrive at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center located north of Eatonton, Georgia in the Oconee National Forest. Cyclists and volunteers lodge Saturday night in cabins located alongside the edge of Rock Eagle's 110-acre (45 ha) lake. Cyclists choose several different mileage options and can customize the length of the ride to their ability levels. The full ride entails back-to-back century rides, 100 miles (160 km) each day for a total of 200 miles (320 km). Cyclists may also choose a shorter 80-mile (130 km) route for a total of 160 miles (260 km). A third option is for cyclists to form relay squads of up to 5 riders. The squad then divides the 100-mile (160 km) distance each day into relay segments as long as each cyclist wishes to ride. The ride follows country roads across rural areas and rolling hills as riders pass through several small, Georgia towns including Stone Mountain, Jersey, Social Circle, and Godfrey.
Action Cycling Atlanta, Inc. (ACA) was formed in 2003 by a group of cyclists who had participated in the 2002 European AIDS Vaccine Ride, one of the last AIDSRides produced by Pallotta Teamworks. The group was dismayed at cost overruns of the European ride. [2] [3] [4] Also, the end of Pallotta Teamworks created a fundraising vacuum for the beneficiaries receiving proceeds from the rides produced by Pallotta. Action Cycling Atlanta was incorporated as a 501c3 charitable organization and chose to continue fundraising for AIDS vaccine research at the Emory Vaccine Center, located in Atlanta, GA and a former beneficiary of the Pallotta events. The ride existed as the Action Cycling 200 for its first 6 years. Fundraising results of $175,000 in 2009 pushed the amount that ACA had donated to over $575,000. The majority of these funds ($557,000) has gone towards AIDS vaccine research at Emory Vaccine Center. The ride also occasionally donates a portion of ride proceeds to related AIDS service organizations. Written into the bylaws of Action Cycling Atlanta is its commitment to adhere to the standards set forth by the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance and to minimizing event expenses returning as much of the funds raised directly to the charitable cause. To date, 100% of the money raised by ride participants has been donated to the beneficiary. Action Cycling Atlanta is able to do this by underwriting the cost of the event through registration fees and generous event sponsors. The ride originally traveled from the Hope Clinic in Decatur, GA to Athens, GA. To accommodate more riders, in 2007, ride organizers changed the route to begin and end on the Emory University campus with a Saturday night stay at Rock Eagle near Eatonton, GA. In 2009, the name of the ride was changed to the AIDS Vaccine 200 to communicate more clearly the purpose of the ride. [5]
The ride has been able to provide increased funding year over year due to the diligence of volunteers. One of the reasons Action Cycling Atlanta is so fiscally effective is that no part of the money raised through sponsorships or fundraising donations is spent on salaries of any kind. To date (August 2017), Action Cycling Atlanta, through its Action Cycling 200 and AIDS Vaccine 200 rides has donated a total of $2,781,090 for AIDS vaccine research and AIDS-related services.
Fundraising Results by Year
| Year | Total | Emory Vaccine Center | AID Atlanta | AIDS Athens | Jerusalem House | Positive Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | $49,365 | $49,365 | - | - | - | - |
| 2004 | $59,075 | $59,075 | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 | $52,125 | $37,000 | - | $15,125 | - | - |
| 2006 | $79,975 | $74,975 | - | $5,000 | - | - |
| 2007 | $75,500 | $75,500 | - | - | - | - |
| 2008 | $106,000 | $106,000 | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 | $175,000 | $175,000 | - | - | - | - |
| 2010 | $198,200 | $190,000 | - | - | $6,200 | $2,000 |
| 2011 | $233,700 | $205,700 | - | - | $25,000 | $3,000 |
| 2012 | $297,500 | $260,000 | - | - | $35,000 | $2,500 |
| 2013 | $304,000 | $255,000 | - | - | $37,000 | $12,000 |
| 2014 | $223,000 | $163,100 | $17,500 | - | $27,000 | $15,400 |
| 2015 | $249,150 | $200,000 | - | - | $32,850 | $16,300 |
| 2016 | $320,000 | $260,300 | - | - | $57,000 | $2,700 |
| 2017 | $358,500 | $305,600 | - | - | $47,100 | $5,800 |
| Total | $2,781,090 | $2,416,615 | $17,500 | $20,125 | $267,150 | $59,700 |
Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campus is in Druid Hills, 3 miles (4.8 km) from Downtown Atlanta.
The Susan G. Komen 3-Day, frequently referred to as the 3-Day, is a 60-mile walk to raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and promote awareness to fight breast cancer. Individual participants must raise at least $2,300 to walk 60 miles (96 km) over a three-day weekend.
BC Cancer is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, Canada.
The Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) is an annual road-cycling tour across the US state of Georgia. It began in 1980 as an offshoot of RAGBRAI. Between 1,000 and 2,000 riders participate in this great ride every year.
Positive Pedalers is a non-profit 7 corporation for people with HIV/AIDS or supporters of people living with HIV/AIDS, which organizes bicycle-related activities.
AIDS Walk is a walkathon fundraiser that raises money to combat the AIDS epidemic. Since 1985, AIDS Walk Los Angeles has drawn hundreds of thousands of supporters to walk, and millions more to donate, raising more than $90 million to combat HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles. The funds raised at the event remain a vital lifeline that sustains APLA Health’s care, prevention, and advocacy programs for those living with HIV in Los Angeles County. Proceeds also benefit more than 20 other HIV/AIDS service organizations that are able to participate and raise funds through the Community Coalition Initiative (CCI).
GeoVax is a clinical-stage biotechnology company which develops vaccines. GeoVax's development platform uses Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector technology, with improvements to antigen design and manufacturing capabilities. GeoVax uses recombinant DNA or recombinant viruses to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) in the person being vaccinated.
The AIDSRides were a series of fundraising events organised by Pallotta TeamWorks which raised more than $105 million for critical AIDS services and medical research. About half of the money raised directly benefited AIDS patients.
AIDS/LifeCycle (ALC) is a seven-day cycling tour through California starting in San Francisco and ending in Los Angeles. Since its start in 1994, the program has raised over $300 million for HIV- and AIDS-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
A century ride is a road cycling ride of 100 kilometers or more in metric system countries or 100 miles or more in imperial system countries, usually as a cycling club-sponsored event. Many cycling clubs sponsor an annual century ride as both a social event for cyclists and as a fund-raiser for the club’s other activities.
Cycling in Atlanta has grown in popularity in recent years, from 0.33% of commutes in 2000 to 1.1% in 2009, aided by improving cycling infrastructure and community support. Although Atlanta has historically been a city defined by the automobile, its increasingly compact urban form and mild climate are encouraging residents to cycle to work, shopping, and recreational destinations. Though Atlanta's famed hilly topography can make cycling challenging, though fun, many parts of the city are relatively flat, including some of the more densely populated areas. However, heavy automobile traffic, the lack of bike lanes on many streets, and difficulty in crossing major streets deter most residents from cycling frequently in Atlanta.
Pelotonia is an organization of events, centered around a two-day bicycle ride in the Columbus, Ohio area, to raise funds for cancer research at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – The James. Pelotonia, the Ride, includes a weekend of cycling, entertainment and volunteerism. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, Pelotonia facilitates all of riders' and fundraisers' donation money contributing to cancer research, while corporate and philanthropic partners fund the administrative staff and functions.
Ride for Refuge is a non-competitive cycling event that partners with 175+ independent charities annually and raises awareness and funds for displaced persons, the vulnerable, and the exploited. The event occurs internationally, at locations in Canada and the United States. Ride for Refuge was started in Canada in 2004, by the Christian missionary organization International Teams Canada. In its first year, Ride for Refuge took place in one city, Kitchener, Ontario, and there were only 25 cyclists. As of 2014, the Ride for Refuge has raised more than $5,000,000.00 for their charitable partners. Teams that enter in the event can choose from a list of approved charities for whom to fundraise Teams can choose to support orphans, homeless people, refugees, human trafficking victims, and other displaced peoples.
Daniel M. Pallotta is an American entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian activist. He is best known for his involvement in multi-day charitable events with the long-distance Breast Cancer 3-Day walks, AIDS Rides bicycle journeys, and Out of the Darkness suicide prevention night walks. Over nine years, 182,000 people participated in these events and raised $582 million. They were the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. He is the author of Uncharitable – How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential, the best-selling title in the history of Tufts University Press. He is also the author of Charity Case: How the Nonprofit Community Can Stand Up for Itself and Really Change the World, and When Your Moment Comes – a Guide to Fulfilling Your Dreams. He is the president of Advertising for Humanity and president and founder of the Charity Defense Council. He is a featured contributor to Harvard Business Review online.
Sounds of HIV: Music Transcribed from DNA is a composition and album by Alexandra Pajak. The work is a musical adaptation of the genetic material of HIV/AIDS.
Carlos del Rio is a distinguished professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. He is also a professor of global health and epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, executive associate dean for Faculty and Clinical Affairs at Emory University School of Medicine and co-director of the Emory Center for AIDS Research. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and was elected as its foreign secretary in 2020. In 2022, del Rio became president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2022.
Rafi Ahmed is an Indian-American virologist and immunologist. He is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory University, where he is also the director of the Emory Vaccine Center and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Vaccine Research. In 2009, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is a fundraising bike-a-thon started in 1980 by Billy Starr to benefit the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute via the Jimmy Fund. It raises more money than any other single athletic fundraiser in the country.
Sandra Thurman is known for her work on AIDS. She was appointed in 1997 as the third director of the Office of National AIDS Policy serving in Bill Clinton's administration. As of 2023 she is the senior advisor to the Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Chief Strategy Officer at the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, which leads the implementation of PEPFAR, and Global Health Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State. She is also a Professor of Practice at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.