Today is Giving Tuesday (December 1st)! Thanks to some generous donors, we're coming into Giving Tuesday with over $41,000 raised including the funds from the kickoff dinner. Wow. That's a lot of bikes! But we're not done yet. Last year, Giving Tuesday was a landmark day for us, raising almost $10,000 on the day alone and over $100,000 raised by all WBR fundraisers worldwide. I'm hoping to repeat that, and I have the first of our prizes to show. As in past years, the first 100 donors (of $147 or more) to will get a special prize. This year, it's a limited edition World Bicycle Relief reversible beanie from BOCO Gear. So if you haven't yet donated, there's still time to earn yourself one of these super awesome, never-to-be-made-again hats. This is an incredible functional piece of gear for early morning workouts, hanging out in transition, or just looking awesome. Change yourself into a newer and better you while also helping to change the world.

And while the first 100 donors get a special prize, we also have an amazing opportunity for EVERY donor. Today, we're again announcing a generous donation of services from my friends at Raymond James & Associates, a complete financial analysis by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional from Raymond James & Associates out of the Naperville, IL office. The kicker is that this is not a prize you have to win. Everyone who makes a donation in support of this year's Charity Challenge can take advantage of this. Yes, you read that right, EVERYONE is entitled to this if he/she wants it. If you choose to take advantage of this opportunity, you must initiate the process with Raymond James & Associates by March 31, 2016 and you must complete the process by June 30, 2016.

To enter the challenge, you can donate online at the URL below. Like last year, the Ironman Foundation has been very generous in hosting and handling the donation site for us (Thanks, IMF!!!).

Link: https://www.crowdrise.com/rappstarcharitychall/fundraiser/theironmanfoundation

As in past years, you can donate ANY amount, but ONLY donations of $147 or more (the cost of one bicycle) will make you eligible for prizes. For every multiple of $147 that you donate, you get another entry. $294 earns you double eligibility, $441 earns triple, etc. Donations of 7 bikes ($1,029) get you an extra spot. For more details, read the first article at the link below. Award drawing tickets will be assigned automatically from the donations, so please make sure to give us an email or phone number (or both) where we can reach you.

And now, onto the incredible offerings we're announcing today. First, from BOCO Gear, 100 of the coolest, most awesomest, most incredible, limited edition WBR-Rappstar Charity Challenge beanies. MSRP - Priceless (you can't put a price on style like that, but we'll call it roughly $2,500).

Remember, there will ONLY be 100 of these. Forever. Never again will such a hat exist in this exact form, so strike now. Or forever rue the day that you missed out on the opportunity to add such a fine piece of apparel to your wardrobe.

While there may only be 100 hats, there are ∞x complete financial analysis by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional from Raymond James & Associates out of the Naperville, IL office.

Raymond James and Associates
620 N. River Rd. Suite 108, Naperville, IL 60563
T: 888.317.2792

Raymond James financial advisors may only conduct business with residents of the states and/or jurisdictions for which they are properly registered. Therefore, a response to a request for information may be delayed. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state. Investors outside of the United States are subject to securities and tax regulations within their applicable jurisdictions that are not addressed on this site. Contact your local Raymond James office for information and availability.

© 2015 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange / SIPC

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame logo) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing Slowtwitch.com, World Bicycle Relief and Rappstar are independent organizations and is not affiliated with Raymond James & Associates.

I also want to announce two other very special prizes on this amazing day of charity. The first comes from The Ironman Foundation. The Ironman Foundation has been an incredible supporter of my efforts, and as they did last year, they are offering an entry to a select Ironman 70.3 and a select full distance (140.6) Ironman as well in North America. Thank you Ironman Foundation for donating 1x Ironman 70.3 event entry and 1x Ironman event entry (TWO separate prizes - one person gets a 70.3 entry, and one person gets a 140.6 entry; there was some confusion on this last year; list of eligible races below). [MSRP $2385 total] Included in this list of events is some of the most popular races on the Ironman calendar, including my favorite race, Ironman Arizona.

The IRONMAN Foundation was established in 2003 as a way for IRONMAN to leave a little piece of legacy behind in communities where they hold their Ironman Events. The mission of the Foundation is: to leave IRONMAN's legacy through philanthropy, volunteerism and grant making; by supporting various athletic, community, education, health, human services and public benefit non-profits organizations around the world.

The first donation is one complimentary entry to a U.S. based (owned) half distance IRONMAN 70.3 of your choice of one of the events below:
IRONMAN 70.3 Florida
IRONMAN 70.3 Texas
IRONMAN 70.3 St. George
IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii
IRONMAN 70.3 Raleigh
IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder
IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman
IRONMAN 70.3 Victoria
IRONMAN 70.3 Syracuse
IRONMAN 70.3 Coeur d'Alene
IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie
IRONMAN 70.3 Muskoka
IRONMAN 70.3 Racine
IRONMAN 70.3 Steelhead
IRONMAN 70.3 Timberman

The second donation is one complimentary entry to a U.S. based (owned) full distance IRONMAN of your choice of one of the events below:
IRONMAN Texas - NA Championship
IRONMAN Lake Placid
IRONMAN Canada
IRONMAN Vineman
IRONMAN Boulder
IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene
IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant
IRONMAN Muskoka
IRONMAN Wisconsin
IRONMAN Chattanooga
IRONMAN Maryland
IRONMAN Louisville
IRONMAN Florida
IRONMAN Arizona

Entry MUST be used in 2016 and all normal IRONMAN transfer and withdrawal policies apply. Donation if for event entry ONLY. All other fees are the responsibility of the athlete. Event entry does NOT include travel or lodging.

Lastly, I am overjoyed to once again be able to offer a once in a lifetime opportunity thanks to Specialized. A pro athlete experience session in the Specialized Win Tunnel wind tunnel. MSRP - Priceless (roughly $3000+).

AERO IS EVERYTHING is the mantra that informs a major part of Specialized's product development of not only the bikes they make, but also helmets, wheels, and even shoes. Drag is the single biggest force affecting a cyclist, and since the only way to turn it off is to stop moving completely, eliminating every bit of it is critically important. Specialized's team of aerodynamic experts wield the tools of their trade—Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), on-bike Data Acquisition (DAQ), and wind tunnel testing—with authority. Best of all, with the addition of the Specialized Wind Tunnel, these tools are all here in Morgan Hill, right at their fingertips. Now aerodynamic innovation can happen at greater speed, making riders faster than ever.

THE TEAM driving Specialized to "Innovate or Die" is even more impressive than the facilities that they have supporting them. The tools and science behind aerodynamics is only as good as the people who interpret and apply it. Specialized's aero team is a true aerodynamic tour-de-force. Between them, Chris Yu, Mark Cote, Chris D’Aluisio, and Chuck Teixeira have 50 years of aero experience, with over 20,000 hours in wind tunnels. Their expertise and presence at Specialized is unique, and a key component in continuing to move the science forward for us in new ways. The right team, given convenient access to all the tools—CFD, DAQ, and wind tunnel testing—is a recipe for innovation.

THE WIND TUNNEL Specialized designed and built the Specialized Win Tunnel wind tunnel as they dreamed it—to be the perfect, cycling-specific wind tunnel. It’s optimized for real bike speeds and is large enough to allow them to test multiple riders at once, simulating group riding situations. Its proximity to the team enables them to conveniently test things without concern to cost or time, and also gives them the freedom to test everything they make—from a commuting helmet, to apparel, and everything in between. Since it will also be used as an educational facility, there’s room for their SBCU classes to observe testing in progress and learn.
And, in a rare and special opportunity, one lucky person will have the chance to work with Specialized's aero team in Specialized's tunnel in Morgan Hill to receive the full professional treatment. Tweak your position, test your equipment, or whatever else you desire. The facilities and - most importantly - the expertise are yours for a full, professional athlete experience. Travel to/from Morgan Hill is *NOT* included; you've got to get yourself to there. But once you're there, you will be blown away - both literally and figuratively - with the opportunity in front of you.

As a reminder, 100% of your contributions are tax deductible and will be directed back to World Bicycle Relief.

For those interested, you can also submit donations via traditional mail at this address:

World Bicycle Relief
Attn: Development
1000 W Fulton Market
4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607

Thanks for your support and commitment to WBR!

Also special thanks to Slowtwitch forum member AlwaysCurious for the artwork of me on a BUFFALO riding by a buffalo.