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Many of you will start by asking "What is a Gran Fondo?". For many years Americans have called them "fun rides" or "benefit rides", but in the past few years we've adopted the Italian term "Gran Fondo" which simply means "big ride". On Saturday, May 12 Sonoma will host just such an event called the Sonoma Napa Gran Fondo. If all goes well, it will put Sonoma on the map as a great host city for this nationally recognized cycling event. In order for that to happen, we need all of you to participate.
This ambitious event will be put on by the Z Echelon group to raise money for your Charity of Choice, their new system in which riders who sign up are able to select and support their preferred charity. By paying to sign up outright or by raising funds by enlisting support from friends and associates participants gain entry into the event. So far, the list of participants and charities to be supported is growing and people are coming from all over to ride and support their teams. We want to make sure Sonoma is well represented and that all Sonoma charities – not just Sonoma Valley Hospital – have teams riding and raising money for them.
We at Sonoma Valley Hospital are proud to be the “host charity” for this event because it is a way for every charity in town to have a team of riders and donors to raise money for their cause while having a great time. We consider this event a real gift to the community and Sonoma Valley Hospital is proud to have been influential in bringing it to you.
The idea for this remarkable event came during an early morning change-of-shift chat in the Emergency Department at SVH. One of us (RC) had the germ of an idea for an event that SVH could host and in doing so give back to our community which as given so much to us. One of us (again, RC) happened to know that the other (PS) is well connected in the world of bicycle racing. So a few phone calls, emails, and meetings later, the Sonoma Napa Gran Fondo hosted by Sonoma Valley Hospital was born.
Our first task was to convince Z Echelon founder Hunter Zeising, who has a passion for raising money for health related causes, to hold the race in Sonoma this year. We assured him that the generous community of Sonoma would come out in force for a cycling event that would be fun, raise the profile of Sonoma, and raise money for multiple local charities while filling the town with food, fun and music and the excitement of great cyclists storming through the streets.
For those of you who follow pro bicycle racing, an extra added feature will be the participation of the Garmin-Barracuda Professional Cycling Team winners of the 2011 Tour de France team competition (they just happen to be starting the Tour of California in Santa Rosa the next day). There will even be an SVH fund raiser dinner on Thursday, May 10 hosted by the enigmatic Garmin-Barracuda team owner Jonathan Vaughters. Tickets for the dinner are available at: https://www.bikereg.com/Net/15431
So now’s your chance to prove us right! We can all participate (whether you're a cyclists or not) in a variety of ways such as volunteer, team leader, donor to a team, or as a fun-loving participant during the day.
For those of you who'd like to ride, you don’t have to be a pro to have fun. Three distances are offered - 11 miles, 50 miles and 75 miles – so even the casual cyclist has the opportunity to ride and raise funds for a charity here in Sonoma.
If you’d like to explore the event and form your own team or ride on another team, go to: http://www.echelongranfondo.org/index.html
If you’d like to have a look at the list of the 46 teams formed so far representing 46 charities go to: https://ssl.charityweb.net/echelongranfondo/event/napa.htm
You’ll see the list of ways to sign up, including a pull down menu of all the charities through which you can support a team by donating. So far, the charities in Sonoma include: the WillMar Family Grief and Healing Center, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, City of Sonoma Pedal Pushers, Sonoma Hospice By The Bay, and Pets Lifeline.
If you’d like to ride on the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation team, or to make a donation in honor of those riding on our behalf, please visit:
If you just like fun and excitement and want to get in the midst of it all by volunteering, we’re also looking for volunteers to help make the whole thing work. To sign up is easy. Go to: http://www.echelongranfondo.org/napa/index.html and click on "Volunteers" on the left column. This will give you a whole list of positions that need to be filled such as:
• Registration - Saturday, from 7-9 AM at the Sonoma Plaza, downtown
• Expo Support at the Expo at the Plaza (shifts posted on the web page)
• Parking and Traffic Safety – 7-10:30
• Food Service at the Expo on the Plaza (shifts posted on the web page)
• Rest Stop Supports (see locations and times on the web page)
• First Aid
• •SAG (Support and Gear) Driver
Whatever you do, it’s all in the spirit of fun and giving. So come out and help us make Sonoma a memorable host for this exciting event.
Robert Cohen, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Emergency Physician
Sonoma Valley Hospital
Prentice Steffen, MD
Emergency Physician
Sonoma Valley Hospital
