Animal lover? Then ride for a cause
All cyclists will also receive a branded cycling shirt valued at R500 from the charity to which they make their pledge.
The Barking Army, which was established in 2014, identified an opportunity to benefit animal welfare in an innovative way that could raise much-needed funds for key rescue organisations while driving awareness of the work that they do.
The opportunity came in the form of the 947 Cycle Challenge. Organisations such as Choc and The Pink Drive have done some incredible work with their “ride for a cause” initiatives and the Barking Army was convinced that there were enough animal-loving South African cyclists out there to successfully run a similar initiative – and they weren’t wrong.
In their first year, the Barking Army raised over R300 000 for their animal rescue charities.
As they enter their third year of the Cycle Challenge, moves are in place to make this the most successful year yet. Their goal is to raise R500 000 for this year’s charities, which include Husky Rescue South Africa, Woodrock Animal Rescue and PETS Johannesburg.
“In creating a non-profit organisation such as the Barking Army, and bringing three charities on board, we benefit from economies of scale from a cost perspective. As we all know, most things are cheaper when bought in bulk,” said the Barking Army founder member, Tarryn Day.
“Through the Barking Army, we have been successful in reducing expenses and driving more funds to the participating charities.”
This year, the Barking Army team and their charities have taken the next step in maximizing profits. They hosted an additional movie night premier at Montecasino, and managed to raise enough funds to cover all their running costs for the Cycle Challenge. A second movie night will be hosted in August to add to their profits.
For the moment, the Barking Army would like to appeal to all the avid cyclists out there who are prepared to ride for a cause. Joining the Barking Army crew will give them access to the hospitality tent and services from the team, including collection of their race packs and an earlier start time.
All cyclists will also receive a branded cycling shirt valued at R500 from the charity to which they make their pledge.
To participate or for more info, visit www.barkingarmysa.com.
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