Riding to the City of New Orleans (Riding2NOLA) is a cycling event planned to begin in May of 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We plan to start cycling from our home in Grand Rapids and ride a total of 1,074 miles. That is the distance from Grand Rapids to New Orleans, site of WEFTEC 2024. The difference is that our cycling will not actually take us to New Orleans. Instead, we will log the 1,074 miles on Michigan’s beautiful system of bicycle trails. This keeps us safely out of traffic. It also makes it much easier to arrange our overnight accommodations since we can use our home as a base for those trails near Grand Rapids.

The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $10,740 for Water For People (WFP). The ride is self-funded by the cycling team of Gary and Linda De Kock from Grand Rapids, so all sponsorship donations go directly to benefit WFP. The American Water Works Association helped to establish Water For People in 1991 and WFP is a Charity of Choice of the Water Environment Federation (WEF).

To support the voyage, visit our Ripple Effect webpage which can be found on the Water For People website. The fundraiser will finish by October 9, 2024, the last day of WEFTEC. Gary and Linda will post videos and updates on the Paddle With Purpose River Voyages Facebook page so you can follow along.

• GOLD SPONSOR - $2,000 Visual recognition at the Water For People WEFTEC 2024 booth Gold level visual recognition at the 2024 MWEA Annual Conference Listing on Paddle With Purpose Facebook page
• SILVER SPONSOR - $1000 Silver level visual recognition at the 2024 MWEA Annual Conference Listing on Paddle With Purpose Facebook page
• BRONZE SPONSOR - $500 Bronze level visual recognition at the 2024 MWEA Annual Conference Listing on Paddle With Purpose Facebook page

Pledges to Riding to the City of New Orleans can be paid directly to MWEA-Riding2NOLA, 5815 Executive Drive, Lansing, MI 48911, or through the WFP Ripple Effect webpage The final deadline for pledge payment is October 9, 2024. Contact Gary De Kock at gdekock@gmail.com for sponsorship opportunities and questions. Thanks for helping!

The Riding2NOLA event will raise funds for Water For People, a WEF charity of choice, whose mission is to promote the development of high quality drinking water and sanitation services, accessible to all, and sustained by strong communities, businesses, and governments. https://www.waterforpeople.org/