The bike challenge #patriziaride was a complete success: 234 participants registered for the “Cycle to Nepal“, which raised money for a school in Nepal. In addition to the entry fees of €2.340, donations in the amount of €5,635 were collected for the “Digital Classroom” pilot project. The money will go towards building digital learning infrastructure at PATRIZIA School Dhoksan. A big thank you goes to the commercial law firm White & Case, who supported the event as a sponsor.
Jan Kuhn presents the donation check to Angelika Jacobi of the PATRIZIA Foundation.
The charity event was organized by Jan Kuhn and Jaroslaw Szal, two employees of PATRIZIA AG, as part of a volunteering campaign. Their goal was to virtually cycle from Augsburg to Dhoksan and back at least once in June 2021 together with all participants – a distance of 17,528 kilometres.
Almost 59,000 kilometres and around 380,000 meters of altitude cycled
This goal was already achieved at the halfway point, in mid-June. With a total of almost 59,000 kilometres cycled, they even made it there and back more than three times by the end of the campaign on 30 June. And the number of metres of altitude covered together is also impressive: they all managed around 380,000 metres of altitude together, which is more than 40 times the height of Mount Everest.
Participants from 18 countries and all age groups
Although the two cycling enthusiasts primarily wanted to inspire their colleagues, the campaign was not only aimed at PATRIZIAns – anyone could join in. And so many registered with family, friends or sports groups – from young to old and from all over the world. The youngest participant was only one year old – he went to the start in a bicycle trailer with his parents. The oldest participant was already 80. The cyclists came from 18 countries, from Germany to Ghana and Singapore to Australia.
Initiators thrilled by success
Jan Kuhn from the Frankfurt office was overwhelmed by the success of the campaign: “I would never have thought that my personal fundraising goal for the foundation would be exceeded so clearly, and I am very grateful to all participants for their generous donations. I was also particularly pleased with the positive feedback on the campaign. Many have thanked me because the #patriziaride has awakened their ambition to get back on their bikes and get active.” In order to network with colleagues beyond the Challenge in terms of sports, the amateur cyclist set up a Strava club for them, which already has 36 members in the meantime. Jaroslaw Szal, who has only been working at PATRIZIA in Luxembourg since the beginning of 2021, was particularly enthusiastic about the great commitment from many different countries: “It was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know other colleagues from different locations and to inspire them with my passion, cycling, and to network with them.”
Jan Kuhn
Jaroslaw Szal
Cycling for a common goal
The sense of togetherness was also enhanced: although everyone cycled on their own, they all cycled together for the same goal: to cover as many kilometres as possible in the saddle, but in particular also to recruit more participants so that more money is raised for the school in Nepal via the entry fees. The good cause was also an incentive for many participants to increase the starting fee of 10 euros by an optional, freely selectable donation. In this way, €5,635 in pure donations were collected. Through the sponsorship of the commercial law firm White & Case, which has supported the PATRIZIA Foundation since 2018 as a very committed member of the Sponsor Circle, all administrative costs and payment fees were covered, so that the full amount of the entry fees also benefited the project in Nepal.
Support for the Digital Classroom Project
100 percent of the net proceeds will go to the Digital Classroom project, which the PATRIZIA Foundation will support in Nepal: Digital learning infrastructures will be created at PATRIZIA School Dhoksan. The idea for this digitalization initiative emerged from the Corona crisis, when schools were closed worldwide due to the lockdown and children and young people were thus denied access to education. With the Digital Classroom project, the foundation also wants to help other countries in the long term.
The #patriziaride is over, but donations can still be made to the Digital Classroom project in Nepal. Please select for the purpose “Cycle to Nepal” #patriziaride.