Active for Good: Phinney’s Ride Expands for 2021

(Lincoln, MA, July 26, 2021) – Phinney’s (aka Phinney’s Friends, Inc.), a nonprofit that helps low-income people in Massachusetts keep their pets, is gearing up for its 8th annual Phinney’s Ride–a biennial fundraiser to help those living with HIV and AIDS care for their pets. 

Up until 2021, Roger Peduzzi, a recently retired veterinarian, and his team of passionate bicyclists, led the charge for raising funds through Phinney’s Ride. To celebrate the nonprofit’s 25th anniversary, Phinney’s invites everyone to participate by performing any type of ride between September 1 and November 1, 2021, and tag @PhinneysFriends and use #phinneysride on social media when sharing photos of their rides. 

“People seem to be getting gradually more comfortable to go back to activities with the recent decrease in COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, but not everyone may want to ride a bike,” says Daniela Caride, Phinney’s president. “So we are encouraging people who want to participate to fundraise by doing whatever kind of ride they want. Maybe it’s a daytrip in the car, a boat ride, a recumbent bike ride, a hayride. Anything, really!” she adds.“The point is to be more inventive and encourage people to get out and be active for a great cause in whatever way they feel comfortable.”  

The registration fee for Phinney’s Ride is $20 with a pledge to raise $200 or more. Individuals can also form teams with family, friends, and coworkers. And, everyone who registers will get a personalized web page with photos and their bio, which they can direct their ride sponsors to.

This year also marks the introduction of the Phinney’s Ride “Couch Potato Hero Certificate,” which gives those who don’t want to ride the option of showing their support with a donation of $100 or more. 

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available ranging from $250 to $5,000, and details on sponsorship packages can be found at shorturl.at/deEGO.

According to a study released by the American Fitness Index, Boston is among the top 10 fittest cities in the U.S., making Phinney’s Ride a great opportunity to mesh together two worthwhile causes — being active and caring for pets. 

​Phinney’s Ride began as a biennial 150-mile ride that Dr. Peduzzi organized from Stow Mass. to Fitzwilliam N.H. over two days, based on a riding plan they followed from their previous charitable challenges with other nonprofit. This year, Dr. Peduzzi’s team will ride 80 miles on September 11-12, traveling from Bristol to Little Compton in Rhode Island, stopping to rest and re-energize along the way. 

“Even if someone doesn’t want to do a lengthy bike ride like Roger’s team is doing, we’re hopeful that our expanded vision for Phinney’s Ride will encourage people to get creative with how they want to contribute,” Caride says.

To learn more, visit phinneys.org/ride.
 
ABOUT PHINNEY’S
Phinney’s (aka Phinney’s Friends) is an all-volunteer registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping people in Massachusetts keep their pets by providing financial support and pet-caregiving assistance. In addition to the Godparents Program, Phinney’s provides much-needed assistance to those experiencing ongoing or temporary financial hardships and mental and physical impairments through its EverCare, Pet Boost, and Emergency programs. Those in need of Phinney’s services may call or fax their request for assistance to 617.979.8705 or complete the form at www.phinneys.org/contact-us.html.