Posted April 1, 2010

Greer Underwood is coming all the way from Massachusetts to ride with us this year. Having ridden in several Boston to New York AIDS Rides she has some idea of what is in store! Greer is inspired to ride for a reason close to her heart.  Her son Tyler has been living with HIV for 3 years. Both Tyler and Greer will be riding together in AIDS/LifeCycle 9, a mother and son team!

A former resident of San Francisco, Tyler has wanted to ride for a number of years now, and this just felt like the right time. He knows the ride will be an emotional journey for both him and his Mom. He says, “A lot of feelings are going to come out that as I've gotten more comfortable with my status I haven't been dealing with as much as when I was first diagnosed.” 

Greer has been working really hard since the moment she signed up for the ride and has become a fundraising diva! At this point she is just over $6,000 and her goal is $7,000……GO GREER!!  But, like most newbies, she started out nervous! Her son Tripp wrote her very unique and funny fundraising letter, to which she credits the majority of her fundraising success.

“Asking people for money actually caused me sleepless nights. Yet, when the letter went out, I couldn't believe the support that came flooding in. My husband sent the letter to many of his old college friends. We are so touched by their generosity, by their support of a cause so close to us. And one of my contributors wrote a wonderful comment about the importance of fighting HIV/AIDS. Our mutual friends have also been generous and a few donations have come from acquaintances so distant, that I couldn't place one couple until I did a map quest. Just ask, you have no idea what might motivate someone to give. And many, without the bank accounts of some of our other friends, have been so very, very generous with donations.  I know this will mean they won't get to indulge in something for themselves. It is truly inspirational.”

For Greer, ALC will take her well out of her “comfort zone” in the literal sense, but she sees this as her offering to the amazing cause. Here is a highlight from her letter:

“On behalf of Team Underwood, we want to thank you in advance for all of your support. And when it’s time to fill in the donation amount, please take a second to remember that this is a seven day, 545 mile bike ride that will require months of hard training and endurance on her part. Not only that, but we’re talking about Greer, in a tent, with no cosmetics, booze, electricity, or plumbing for a whole week. If that doesn’t personify the “give ‘til it hurts” spirit, then nothing does-- thank you”. 

Thank you and welcome Greer and Tyler!