The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Kicks Off Movember Early This Weekend
There’s a good chance this charitable event has a ride in a city near you.
Do you want to support prostate cancer research and men’s mental health? Do you also want to dress up in fancy, old-fashioned clothes while riding your classic or vintage style motorcycle? If you answered “yes” to both questions, you’re in luck. The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is coming up this Sunday, Sept. 24. Despite the event’s name, ladies are invited, too.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a worldwide annual event that supports the Movember Foundation. The foundation claims to be the only global charity focused solely on men’s health and supports projects like the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry, the Ironman Project, the TrueNTH sexual health project, and the Making Connections initiative for suicide prevention. The organizers decided not to host the event in November because many climates offer less-than-ideal riding conditions in November.
As of this writing, the charitable event has more than 70,000 registered riders and has raised more than $3 million so far for 2017. It’s taking place in 95 countries across the globe with many U.S. cities hosting events. So far, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has raised more than $10 million since its inception in 2012.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was started in Sydney, Australia by motorcyclist Mark Hawwa. He was inspired to start the event after seeing a photo of Don Draper on a vintage motorcycle. The first Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in 2012 was just for fun, but it was such a success with more than 2,500 participants riding old-school motorcycles, wearing tailored suits and curly mustaches that he decided to use this force for good.
Starting in 2013, the ride raised funds for prostate cancer research. The DGR teamed up with the Movember Foundation in 2016, which helped grow the movement. The title sponsors for the event are Zenith Watches and Triumph Motorcycles, both industry leaders in modern classic design. Both brands are giving away their products as prizes for those who raise the most money.
The way DGM raises funds is by participants setting up personal fundraising pages which you can do through the ride’s website. It’s kind of like a run for charity, but instead of running you get to dress funny and ride a motorcycle. To find a ride near you, make a donation, learn more about the cause, or just see cool pictures of old motorcycles, check out the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride website.
If you don’t have anything to wear, they sell merchandise on the website that can help you fit in and look dapper. Think about registering and get your carburetors and mustache wax ready for Sunday.
