They gained worldwide attention, when their fundraising campaign Sonoma Pride came to the rescue of the Sonoma County Community two years ago, when it suffered devastating wildfires.
Levi Leipheimer said: "It is such an honor to be recognized by Congressman Mike Thompson for the fundraising efforts by everyone at the King Ridge Foundation over the last 10 years. This award is something I personally never expected so it's a little overwhelming to think we've made a big enough difference to deserve it. Thank you Gran Fondo Guide for reinforcing what we’ve achieved."
Photo: Congressman Mike Thompson (right) awarding the Congressional Record to Carlos Perez (left) and Levi Leipheimer (middle) on behalf of the King Ridge Foundation, at the annual fundraising gala, the Festa del Fondo, held on the Thursday night before the Gran Fondo each year
King Ridge Foundation board member Dave Townsend recounts the Sonoma Pride fundraising campaign "On Tuesday October 10, 2017 (one day after the devastating Tubbs Fire ripped through Santa Rosa, CA) Russian River Brewing Company, the world famous icon of the beer world in downtown Santa Rosa, opened its doors to serve free food to fire survivors and first responders. Owners Natalie and Vinnie wanted the brewery to be a place where the community could come together to share a meal, a beer, survivor stories, tears, hugs and most of all to connect with their neighbors who just experienced the most devastating wildfire in California history.”
“While the fires were still a threat to our community, the process of accepting the magnitude of devastation began for the City of Santa Rosa and County of Sonoma. It was then that the empathetic and passionate owners of Russian River Brewing Company hatched the idea of leveraging their world class status in the brewing community to create a fundraiser for fire survivors. They decided to brew a unique batch of beer called Sonoma Pride where 100% of all proceeds would go directly to individuals and families who lost their homes or jobs in the fire.
Photo: Sonoma Pride attracted the support of three times World Champion Peter Sagan
“Once the word got out about this fundraising idea, Natalie and Vinnie were inundated by requests from breweries across the country to follow their lead and brew a batch of their own ‘Sonoma Pride’ beer to help the cause. Right then, they knew that this was likely going to be a big thing.”
“Carlos set up a website to be the hub for Sonoma Pride fundraising and quickly sought out how they could best distribute the potential funds raised through this organic, grass roots endeavour. First and foremost they wanted the funds to go to directly to individuals and families who were most affected by the fires.”
“They wanted the money to go as directly as possible through a local Sonoma County organization who could distribute the funds in the most direct way possible to those who needed it the most. As they searched for a partner, a perfect match occurred with the King Ridge Foundation, the non-profit entity of Levi’s Gran Fondo, one of the biggest cycling events in nation, hosted here in Santa Rosa every year. Since there is such a synergy between beer, bikes, and community Natalie and Vinnie felt that the King Ridge Foundation, founded by professional cyclist Levi Leipheimer and community organizer Carlos Perez in 2009, would be the best group to get these funds to those who needed it most . The fit could not have been more perfect.”
As a result, Sonoma Pride raised an incredible $1,222,116.23 in less than 12 months! Since that time, the funds have been distributed directly to 680 families and countless individual fire survivors through partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club, Alternative Family Services, California Human Development, Community Action Partnership, 4Cs: Community Child Care Council, Council on Aging, St. Vincent de Paul, Sonoma Family Meal, Redwood Empire Food Bank and the Forget Me Not Farm.
In addition about 500 new bikes helmets, locks and water bottles were distributed in partnership with Specialized, NorCal Bike Sport, The Bike Peddler and The Trail House to kids who lost their bikes in the fire."
King Ridge Foundation Board Members
Levi Leipheimer
Carlos Perez
Cheryl Wallace
Dave Townsend
Glenn Fant
Taylor Greenleaf
Leipheimer’s philanthropy and continued passion for cycling has helped transform the lives of young people and rebuild the lives of those affected by devastating wildfires.
Congratulations to King Ridge Foundation, its board members, and Levi Leipheimer who founded Levi’s Gran Fondo!
Celebrate the 11th edition this October!
Levi’s GranFondo is widely recognized as America’s Premier Gran Fondo and celebrates its 11th edition this October 4th - 6th 2019, part of the successful Sonoma Vita festival weekend.
With 11 routes on offer, Levi’s Gran Fondo is designed for cyclists of all abilities; from the 8 mile Family Ride, 30 mile Piccolo, 60 mile Medio, the 100 mile Gran, and the challenging 116.8 mile Panzer.
The 100 mile Gran Fondo, the biggest and most popular distance, will allow cyclists to ride near enough the same route and KOM climbs as used in the 2017 Tour of California. A definitive cycling experience in northern California that mustn’t be missed. From the damp redwood forests at the base of King Ridge to the 360-degree panoramas at the butcher knife-thin top, this is the stuff of memory. This includes the KOM climbs of King Ridge and Coleman Valley Road to name a few.
And if you think the climbs are amazing, the descents down Hauser Bridge Road and Meyers Grade will stay with you for the rest of your days!
Ahead of you is an unforgettable day’s cycling, with a mass start, full support on course, with mobile mechanical support from SRAM and full emergency services. Up to eight rest stops, each with whole foods as well as on-bike liquid and gel energy.
The Panzer includes a full service Espresso bar with a selection of sweet and savory handmade Panzerotti pastries. Expect mechanical service at each stop, as well as medical personnel, on top of what's driving around on-course. Once the pedalling is done, riders and their families come together at the Fondo Sonoma festival at the Finley Center for a fun day filled with plenty of activities, live music, and great food and beverages.
Levi went on to say “You can do a lot more than just ride. In your town, in your city and community there are disadvantaged kids who need help. We believe, no child should have to deal with at-risk circumstances. Yet the awful truth is that nearly 50% of youth in America do.
The Under 24 ride free program, sponsored in part by Specialized, returns for 2019.
For more information, please visit: https://www.levisgranfondo.com
