Earlier this summer, board member Gary Nederveld biked from the Pacific Coast to the Continental Divide to raise support for AJS's justice work in Honduras. Now it's YOUR turn! This October, AJS is participating in the Ride for Refuge, a massive one-day bike ride taking place in over a dozen cities in the U.S. and Canada.

Gary rode his bike for a month—can you ride for just one day to raise support for AJS? Riders have already raised $5,225 and you can help too!  Would you be willing to be a Team Captain, Rider, or Sponsor? Check out the  links below for more information.

Ride for Refuge cities and dates | Sign up to Ride Your Bike | Donate | FAQs | Get the Latest Updates:  http://www.rideforrefuge.org/partner/ajs or  http://twitter.com/ajs_us

Ride locations and dates

• Grand Rapids, Mich., USA -Oct. 1
• Brampton, Guelph, London, and Ottawa, Ont., Canada - Oct. 1
  
• Chicago, Ill., USA - Oct. 8
• Oklahoma City, Okla., USA -Oct. 15
• Hamilton, Ont., Canada - Oct. 15
• Vancouver, B.C., Canada - Oct. 15
• Fort Worth, Texas, USA - Oct. 29 
• ...and more

Instructions for Joining the Ride: 
1. Go to http://www.rideforrefuge.org/
2. Choose the country you'll be riding in (USA or Canada)
3. Click on "Register" and "Sign Up"
4. If you don't already have one, create an account
5. Choose your location and sign the waiver
6. Choose from one of the following options: 

• "Join a Team" - if there's an AJS team in your town. AJS supporters in Grand Rapids, Mich., can join the "Association for a more Just Society - Grand Rapids" team with Hope Start as the captain.
• "Create a Team" - if you're willing to be the captain of an AJS team in your city. Create Team Name, write description, set team goal and choose "Association for a more Just Society" as your charity of choice. Here's more info on what being a captain involves.

Donate to the Ride:
1. Go to http://www.rideforrefuge.org/
2. Choose the country that rider or team you're supporting is from (USA or Canada)
3. Click "Give"
4. Choose to sponsor a specific Rider by searching for the rider's name, or choose to sponsor a team by searching for the team's name (e.g., "Association for a More Just Society")
5. Fill out the online giving form.

Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions and answers pertain primarily to AJS's participating in the Ride for Refuge. Additional information about the Ride can be found at the Ride for Refuge website.

Who is organizing the Ride for Refuge?
According to the ride website, the Ride for Refuge is organized by International Teams Canada, International Teams US, and Blue Sea Philanthropy, and is set to become an organization in its own right by the end of 2011. AJS is not involved in the planning of the ride,

Why is AJS participating in the Ride for Refuge instead of organizing our own ride?
The Ride for Refuge team has years of experience in organizing all the logistics to ensure a safe and sucessful ride. It has also generated significant media interest due to the large size of the event. We believe it makes sense to take advantage of the experience and professionalism of the Ride for Refuge rather than "reinvent the wheel." We also think it's a cool way to mingle with and encourage others who are riding for other good causes.

How can I start fundraising?
Send out our AJS / Ride for Refuge Fundraising Letter to your friends, family, and coworkers, use this pledge sheet to keep track of their pledges, and check out these fundraising tips. Directing people to AJS's website, YouTube channel, and Justicia archives are also great ways to help them learn more and get excited about our mission.

Where does the money go?
The majority of the money given for an AJS rider will go to AJS, but part goes to cover ride costs such as water and t-shirts for the riders, maintaining the Ride for Refuge website, etc. The proportion that goes to AJS depends on how much we raise. Between the six different locations we hope to form teams for, we hope to raise $25,000; if we reach that goal, only 30% of each donation in support of the organization will be used for ride costs while 70% will be passed on to AJS. If we raise less, the proportions would be 40% ride costs : 60% AJS. More information is available on the following page on the Ride for Refuge website:http://www.rideforrefuge.org/page.php?p=wherethemoneygoes

Does it matter if I give through the AJS website or the Ride for Refuge website?
AJS welcomes donations of all types. However, donations given specifically to support a rider or team in the Ride for Refuge should be given through the Ride for Refuge's online giving page, or via checks written out to "Ride for Refuge," with the name of the individual or team being sponsored in the memo.