Auto Industry Executives and Athletes Team Up for Pier2Pier4Kids, a 3-Day, 250-Mile Charity Cycle Event to Benefit Underserved and At-Risk Children June 25 to 27

LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The first annual Pier2Pier4Kids (P2P4Kids) philanthropic event raising money and awareness for charities that improve the lives and welfare of children in the USA, Australia and South Africa will take place June 25-27, 2021. The ride will span almost the entire coastline of Southern California, kicking off at the Santa Barbara pier and concluding three days and 250 miles later at the San Diego pier.

P2P4Kids' founder, Allan Cooper, has modeled the event after an annual charity ride that takes place in his native Australia. Dozens of pro athletes, weekend warriors and other supporters gather for the "Captain's Ride," a six-day challenge that raises millions for The Steve Waugh Foundation, a charity that helps children with rare diseases and their families get the support and medical resources they need. Cooper is a regular participant of the "Captain's Ride," but COVID has made the ride impossible in 2020 and 2021.

"Participating in the 'Captain's Ride' forever changed the way I look at the world," said Cooper. "I discovered so much about myself, pushing the boundaries of physical and mental endurance, the power of the mind, teamwork and the innate goodness of fellow men and women. Being a small part of the impact Steve Waugh is making through his charity inspired me to bring a similar event to America."

Cooper first challenged himself with a 2-day solo ride late December 2020, which gave him the confidence to pull together this larger event, one that will feature 10-20 riders and will raise money for charities around the globe focused on improving the lives and welfare of children who, through no fault of their own, may not be given the opportunity to thrive.

Like the "Captain's Ride," Cooper is also gathering like-minded peers who straddle industry, sport and media to participate in the ride, including pro surfers Shaun Tomson and Iain Cairns, pro PGA golfer Stuart Appleby, pro MBL-player-turned-sports-commentator Ryan Rollins Smith will emcee each evening, and Steve Cannon, CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment (owner of Atlanta Falcons) and ex-CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.

Cannon, who is also the Founder of the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund and the 2021 recipient of the NFL's Salute to Service Award, said, "The Johnny Mac fund's mission is to take care of the families of fallen soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We're incredibly grateful to be among the charities that P2P4Kids is supporting in its first annual ride."

The ride will raise funds for multiple charities benefiting young people in need. Please visit http://www.p2p4kids.com and click on the links to donate to any of the charities P2P4Kids is riding for:

Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund
Concussion Legacy Foundation
Marine Corp Scholarship Foundation
Navy Seal Foundation
The Steve Waugh Foundation
No Kid Hungry
Boys to Men Mentoring
African Icons

Chris Nowinski, Ph.D., founder and chief executive of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, which focuses on research and education about the consequences of repeated head impacts, thanked Cooper for his continued support.

"What makes the P2P4Kids ride all the more inspiring is that it follows so closely on Coop's 2020 solo ride, an effort that raised thousands and helped amplify our mission of achieving smarter sports and safer athletes through education and innovation," Nowinski said. "I can't thank Coop enough for his enthusiasm and long-time support. He is really 'walking the walk' by pledging to donate his brain to research, something that will help generations to come as we begin to learn more about the effects of sports-related concussions."

Early supporters of P2P4Kids include Bluewater Grill restaurants (dinners), Il Caccia Caffe (food and coffee en route) and the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund (clothing kit).

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Cooper said, "We need sponsors to support our riders in this journey and would welcome any individual or company that would be willing to step in to help supply support vehicles for the ride or cover meals and accommodations so that all the money raised can go straight to our supported charities."

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Johnson - Elizabeth(at)cavanahcommunications.com

Media Contact

Crystal Hartwell, Cavanah Communications, +1 (714) 987-1016, [email protected]

Cassandra Cavanah, Cavanah Communications, (818) 397-4630, [email protected]

SOURCE Pier2Pier4Kids

Related Links

http://www.p2p4kids.com