Riding down the highway
The annual AIDS/LifeCycle is a 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, co-produced by and benefiting San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. For the 20th year, FedEx is proud to support this seven-day event by providing sponsorship, volunteers, and in-kind shipping.
This year, riders raised nearly $11 million to raise awareness to help to end the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and provide free HIV/AIDS medical care, testing, and prevention services.
Volunteers include cyclists from all over the country, including some FedEx employees, like Scott Taylor, a FedEx security specialist. “This is my fifth ride; I look forward to it every year. I train all year round. Cycling is who I am. This year I raised almost $7,000, but over the course of my five years, it totals about $20,000,” said Taylor.
The group includes cyclists and “Roadies,” who are volunteers that follow the riders along their path to provide lunch, water, setup, and more. Riders and Roadies spend long hours working together. From setting up their tents, changing each other's tires, and snack breaks, they build long-lasting friendships and bond over a shared support for fighting AIDS.
“I’ve made so many friends here. We get constant support from other riders throughout the entire ride. It really is a sense of community. When I found out that FedEx was a part of that, it gave me a sense of pride that I worked for a company that supports a cause such as this one,” Taylor said.