Basketball Hall of Famer and noted cyclist Bill Walton is teaming with community leaders to stage the Bill Walton and Friends Inter-Galactic Bike for Humanity ride from 9-11 a.m. PDT on April 25 to benefit victims of the coronavirus pandemic and health care workers.
Participants are encouraged to ride their bikes for up to two hours that day, anywhere they can practice social distancing at a minimum of 6 feet, 11 inches, in honour of Walton’s height. Organizers stress it is not a group ride and riding clusters are prohibited.
All net proceeds will benefit various charities nationally and in Walton’s hometown of San Diego.
It’s free to sign up on bikeforhumanity.com. Participants who make a $25 contribution will be mailed a Bike for Humanity medal. Those who contribute $50 will receive a medal and T-shirt. Those making a $250 contribution will receive a medal, T-shirt and autographed photograph card from Walton, and be entered in a drawing for prizes, including an all-expenses-paid trip to San Diego to ride with Walton. Riders who donate $5,000 will receive a medal, T-shirt and an all-expenses paid trip to San Diego to ride with Walton.
Beset by injuries during his NBA career, Walton has found an outlet by cycling. His custom bike has a Grateful Dead paint job and the former UCLA great can often be seen riding around San Diego. He has often ridden in various stages of the Tour of California.
“With the global health coronavirus crisis changing everything for everybody these days, we are doing something about and for the exacerbated challenges that so many of our communities now face, not the least of which are food and medical care,” Walton said.
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