“Last year in only few weeks we achieved something great. And, this year, having started well in advance of the race, we want to do even better!” said Manuel Giuggioli, Sport Commission Chairman of the Rotary Club Montaperti–Castelnuovo Berardenga, promoter, alongside RCS Active Team, of the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche Charity Programme, which first ran in 2017 and will be repeated in this year’s edition, with the event on Sunday 4th March.
The programme’s first goal has already been reached, in donating a special bicycle to the Siena Autism Association “Piccolo Principe”, a special tandem that allows young disabled people to experience the joy of cycling.
For this year’s edition, the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche Charity Programme is focused on tackling an important issue: violence against women. Guggioli said: “We’ve decided to support a small but significant charity in Siena, called Donna chiama Donna (Woman calls Woman), set up in the 1990s and that, thanks to the support of 30 volunteers, has been able to help women who have suffered from physical and moral violence.”
In order to grow the project, Guggioli has involved the International Chairman of the Rotary Fellowship Cycling to Serve, Luxemburg’s Jean Luc Berger: “He told us he’s going to participate in the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche with other people. In Siena we will be joined by other Rotary members from various countries, who will support our project that has become dear to Rotary International.”
Crowdfunding has been launched on the Rete del Dono platform. Results are encouraging: as today around €2,000 has been donated, with a minimum end goal of €6,000, thanks to the support of VIPs like Marco Saligari (ex pro rider and now Rai cycling commentator), Gianluca Santilli (Gran Fondo di Roma Chairman) and Manuel Giuggioli himself.
