Thank you for donating to help raise funds for the Southern Tier Aids Program (STAP) and to make it possible for me to join the STAP fundraising bike ride on September 11th, 2010. The ride will be 100-miles around Cayuga Lake.

The folks at STAP want you to know that this is a secure site, so you should feel confident using it to make a donation.

I want you to know that your money goes to a caring and responsible organization that provides education to help prevent AIDs as well as support services for people who have it. The "Southern Tier" means the part of New York State that is mostly south of Ithaca and west of the New York City metro area. In this part of the world, fundraising efforts like this one for STAP are not only common but essential for providing these (and many other) types of human services.

This particular ride is well-timed at the end of the summer and popular among Ithaca's cyclists. Having to train for such a long ride has helped me to gain a level of fitness that I would not otherwise have achieved. After doing the ride last summer at a basic level, this summer I had the confidence to join several group rides, including a repeating Wednesday night women's ride. I also am excited to let you know that I can fix a flat tire on my bike all by myself now!

THANK YOU to everyone who has been supportive, especially Adam and Tristan, but also Craig R. who will be joining me for the ride during his North America trip this fall and Andrew R. for lending Craig a bicycle and providing tips and encouragement.

-Tonya (August 26th, 2010)