The seventh annual Saris Gala, benefiting the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, was held at the Saris Cycling Group headquarters in Madison, Wis., on Friday, October 29th. Silent and live auctions helped bring in $95,000 to support a variety of infrastructure and educational programs throughout Wisconsin, including Safe Routes to School. Thanks to all who contributed!"We strongly support bicycling advocacy in Madison and across the country," said Saris President Chris Fortune. "So working with the Bike Fed is really important to us. We're proud to host the Saris Gala, but we did not do this alone. This is a community event that relies heavily on volunteers and the generous support of our industry partners."
This year's event had a Halloween theme complete with a costume ride and costume contest. More than 600 attendees enjoyed food and drinks, bid on auction items, and listened to cycling commentator Phil Liggett (in the photo from Focal Flame with a fan) talk about his experiences at the Tour de France. Pro-cyclist-turned-coach Robbie Ventura led the live auction and got the crowd bidding on items like a Cyclesport Travel trip to the Pyrenees, Vision Quest Coaching Camp package, and a high-end Trek bike of the winner's choosing.
Kevin Hardman, the Bike Fed's executive director, said, "We're grateful for partners like Saris who are stepping up to make Wisconsin a better place to bike. The Saris Gala funds important work to increase transportation choices throughout the state, including our Safe Routes to School programs. Over the years, we have taught more than 9,000 kids how to stay safe on streets and sidewalks. We're looking forward to continuing this work and helping more Wisconsinites make bicycling a convenient part of their daily lives."
Photo credit: Clint Thayer / Focal Flame Photography
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