SANTA FE, N.M. (BRAIN) — The annual bicycle-centric Thanksgiving food drive Cranksgiving marks its Silver Anniversary with more than 100 cities participating.
Its 25th year features 25 industry brands helping sponsor events nationwide, which started in Auburn, Alabama, on Oct. 26, with the last scheduled Nov. 29 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Participants buy food at local grocery stores and donate to local charities who help feed needy families during the week of Thanksgiving.
According to Bill Lane, marketing director for Cranksgiving-sponsor BTI, 101 cities have and are taking part as of Monday with 11 in Pennsylvania. Forty-one states have at least one ride on tap. Several cities, including Santa Fe, have been participating for as long as 16 years, "and we really enjoy re-connecting with those year after year," Lane said.
"Even more fun is working with the new organizers who are putting together their first-ever rides. It was through some of those conversations that we hit on the idea that we might be able to lower the bar to entry by helping them with sponsorships."
Last year, BTI added sponsors Hiplok and Deuter and were "bowled over" by industry interest this year as Hiplok was joined by 24 others, including Fox, Floyd's of Leadville, and Ass Savers of Sweden, which made 100 limited-edition Win Wing fenders to mark the first event in New York City.
Bicycle messenger Antonio Rodrigues created Cranksgiving in 1991 in New York City as a pure street race, with grocery stores serving as checkpoints. It evolved in 1999 with local organizers teaming with area charities to form a list of food needs. Routes to local grocery stores are mapped out for cyclists to follow and purchase food with their own money.
"I don't think anyone could have guessed that 25 years ago a feisty NYC street race would have captured so many imaginations and grown into a phenomenon with this kind of staying power," Lane said.
