Council Thinks Outside the Course for Cure
Northern California Real Estate and Construction Council’s annual Bike to Hope capitalizes on the plethora of commercial real estate types who are avid bicyclists to raise money for life-threatening diseases.
SAN FRANCISCO—While plenty of organizations hold golf tournaments, one fundraiser stands out for its outside-the-course thinking and capitalizes on the plethora of commercial real estate types who are avid bicyclists. This event, Northern California Real Estate and Construction Council’s seventh annual Bike to Hope fundraiser, will benefit City of Hope, a nationally recognized research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.
Wally Naylor, project executive at Pankow Builders and the Bike to Hope chair, said the real estate industry volunteers who make up the council are dedicated to helping City of Hope find a cure for these diseases. The difference in this fundraising effort is that these commercial real estate and construction pros are riding bicycles rather than golf carts.
“Biking, after all, is a sport that’s called ‘the new golf’,” Naylor said. “The camaraderie of friends and new acquaintances among hundreds of people and dozens of companies makes for an added benefit.”
The event will be held on October 19 at Penngrove Park in Petaluma, CA with more than 250 people expected to ride. The cyclefest is sponsored by SB Architects and Hudson Pacific Properties.
“I have been an avid cyclist for the past 20 years. The Bay Area has seen consistent growth in the cycling community and that growth has naturally spilled over into the commercial real estate industry,” Bruce Wright, vice president and principal at SB Architects, tells GlobeSt.com. “The Bike to Hope event allows large groups of like-minded individuals to gather and connect at a compelling alternative to more traditional sporting pursuits.”
Bike to Hope will feature two course options to cater to seasoned and casual riders alike: a metric century and a half-metric century. Both routes will take the cyclists through the back roads of Sonoma County and culminate with celebratory brews and barbecue at Penngrove Park.
Wright says that since SB’s founding, it has taken on a core belief that the only mission worth pursuing in business is to make people’s lives better. Its continued involvement with Bike to Hope and giving back to this cause allows SB Architects to fulfill that mission.
“For over 15 years, SB Architects has been a big supporter of the City of Hope and their continued ground-breaking research to end cancer and other life-threatening diseases,” Wright tells GlobeSt.com.
“SB has been a presenting sponsor of the Bike to Hope for the past three years and we have supported the event since its inception seven years ago. As wellness, fitness and life balance are core beliefs of SB Architects, the Bike to Hope is a fabulous event that is in total alignment with our firm’s aspirations.”
Hudson Pacific has also been a long-time proponent of the City of Hope through support and involvement in the council. The firm works to be a good corporate citizen by investing in the communities in which it operates—not only through properties and tenants, but also by supporting the efforts of these types of organizations.
Hudson Pacific management supports opportunities for employees to contribute to local communities or other causes important to them. Company-wide philanthropic efforts with organizations such as City of Hope, PATH Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Boys and Girls Club also have another benefit: providing fulfillment in employees’ professional and personal lives.
“Sponsoring Bike to Hope allows us to support an organization that transforms the lives of so many people,” said Drew Gordon, senior vice president, Northern California, Hudson Pacific Properties. “It also allows our team to come together on this ride and support one another. Not only do participants feel proud of their accomplishment in finishing the ride, but they also are rewarded by knowing they are helping to advance the treatment and prevention of life-threatening diseases.”
In addition to SB Architects and Hudson Pacific, another top sponsor to date is Nibbi Brothers General Contractors. Several sponsorship levels are available and include branding, collateral and other visibility. Riders are encouraged to sign up online and will be equipped with a personalized fundraising website as well.
GlobeSt.com learns that $87.8 million in grant money awarded to the City of Hope faculty in 2017.