CT Staff to Cycle 550+ Miles for Tree Research
Sara Turner and Neil Irvin to raise more than $3,500 to ride in the STIHL Tour des Trees through Oregon
Sara Turner and Neil Irvin will be headed off soon to represent Casey Trees in the STIHL Tour des Trees, a 585-mile bike fundraiser for tree research. Created in 1991 as a way to help raise money for the TREE Research and Education Endowment Fund (then called the ISA Research Trust), the bike tour is now in it’s 21st year of using “a passion for cycling as a means for promoting a love of trees.” Each year they plant trees along their ride, raising awareness in communities and igniting conversations about the importance of trees and their place in all environments: big, small, urban, or rural.
In years past, the Tour has brought together over $5 million dollars in money and trekked across diverse terrains, including “Great Britain, along the East Coast and Canada, throughout the Northern Plains and the Midwest, into the Deep South and along the Pacific Northwest and California coasts.” In fact, Casey Trees was a Silver Sponsor of last year’s tour, which took place from Virginia Beach, Va., to Washington, D.C. This year’s fundraising goal? $500,000! They’re (incredibly) already at $442,469, with only 12 days left before the Tour!
“The cyclists of the STIHL Tour des Trees are the lifeblood of the TREE Fund,” said Janet Bornancin, President/CEO of the foundation. “Not only do they raise the funds necessary to ensure that tree research continues, they devote a week to cycling across the country, carrying the message of science-based tree care to the communities whose trees will benefit from their efforts.”₁
Each of our staff, Sara and Neil, will be individually fundraising $3,500 to contribute to the donation efforts this year, and could use your help raising the money! Not only does it ensure that they’ll have enough funds to participate in the Tour, but it helps feed, house, and properly equip them to handle the intense workload. They’ll be leaving us on the 3rd of August to prep for the tour, which will be ongoing from the 5th to the 11th of August.
We will be posting the press releases on Thursday, as well as highlighting how to help our staff by donating to their individual pages! (If you’d like to donate now, follow the links above on Sara & Neil’s name.)
You’ll be able to follow along with their adventures here at the Casey Trees blog, Tree Speak, as Sara will be blogging with us starting on August 3rd. She’ll be covering the travel, gear, and the riding-forged relationships, giving us all an insight into the experience.
And follow the hashtag #CTdT2012 to catch all of the visuals – Neil will be keeping us in the loop with photos, maps, videos, and more (starting on August 4th)!
₁STIHL Tour des Trees Press Release: “Local Employees at Casey Trees to Cycle more than 550 Miles for Tree Research”
Check out last year’s promotional video below! :: STIHL Tour des Trees to benefit the TREE Fund
STIHL Tour des Trees website :: http://stihltourdestrees.org/
STIHL homepage :: http://www.stihlusa.com/
MAC-ISA homepage :: http://bit.ly/NtoEFv
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