Three ways to help

We at Adventure Sports Journal extend our sincere condolencesย to those in the California wildfires who have lost their homes and/or loved ones. Below are three ways people can help the victims of these tragic fires. It is inspiring to see how the community is pulling together in support of one another.

Do note that these are only three ways to help out of many others. A number of people and organizations are putting together benefits and we can’t cover them all here, but folks can share and post them for FREE on our website here. If you know of an event, please do add it and let’s spread the word far and wide!


ONE // Runner Helping Runner Benefit Run and Gear Drive for North Bay Fire Victims

Runners can donate new or barely used running shoes and clothing on Saturday, October 21 to the โ€œRunner Helping Runnerโ€ donation drive at San Francisco Running Company, 247 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley, CA 94941 between 7:30 am and 10:00 am. The donation drive benefits fellow trail runners who have lost everything in the Northern California wildfires.

Shoe and clothing donations can also be mailed to the same address or email Devon Yanko at runnerhelpingrunner@gmail.com for other ways to help.

Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR) โ€” one of the donation drive’s sponsors โ€” postponed its popular race, the Eldrith Gosneyโ€™s Pure Ultra, until January due to the Northern California wildfires. The race was scheduled to take place on October 21 at Mt. Tamalpais State Park in Mill Valley. It includes trail race distances of 11 kilometers, half marathon, 36 kilometers, and 50 kilometers.

โ€œOne of the toughest decisions for any race director is to postpone an event,โ€ said Greg Lanctot owner of PCTR.ย  โ€œWe believe it is important to provide our participants enough advanced notice while keeping in mind the need for First Responders to be able to focus on those areas affected by the wildfires rather than our event. All Eldrith Gosneyโ€™s Pure Ultra entrants have been contacted by email notifying them of the planned event change.โ€


TWO // Bikes, Blues & Brews Fundraiser

The Sonoma County Bicycling Coalition (SCBC) is holding its Bikes, Blues & Brewsย fundraiserย Saturday October 28ย fromย 8-11 pmย at theย Saturdayย Afternoon Club,ย 430 Tenth Streetย in Santa Rosa. The event features a performance byย Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, one of the top swinging jazz and blues bands in the world.

Refreshments available for purchase include beer generously donated byย Woodfour Brewing Company. The event also includes aย raffleย and silentย auction, with prizes ranging from local restaurant and movie gift cards, free admission to spectacular bike rides and outdoor adventures, to a Yuba cargo bike.ย Since itโ€™s Halloween weekend, attendees are encouraged to dress up in vintage style.

Proceeds will offset fire-related impacts to the Safe Routes to School Program and the Santa Rosa Cycling Club’s charitable giving program. Theย Santa Rosa Cycling Club is one of the coalition’sย  staunchest supporters, and it lost its entire warehouse including over $100,000 worth of equipment โ€” everything they need to host rides like the Wine Country Century. This will have a huge impact on the community groups, including SCBC, to which they donate the proceeds from these cycling events. The Safe Routes to School program’s funding stream, staff jobs and ultimately the organization’s bottom line are impacted by fire-related school closures and air quality issues. The Bikes, Blues & Brews event was previously scheduled as a general fundraiser for the coalition, but in light of the great need of its community, proceeds instead will be channeled to help offset these financial losses and to offer the community a few hours of fun and entertainment.

Tickets are $25 for Coalition members and $30 for nonmembers. They can be purchased in advance online atย BikeSonoma.BrownPaperTickets.comย or at the door.

More information, includingย online auction pre-bidding, is available atย bikesonoma.org/bikes- blues-and-brews. (You don’t have to attend the event to bid on auction items.)


THREE // Sonoma Pride

On October 31, Sonoma Pride beer will be released at Russian River Brewery and select retail outlets, and 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this beer will benefit victims of the catastrophic fire events that have taken place in Sonoma County, California in October of 2017. This fundraiser is a partnership between Russian River Brewing Company and King Ridge Foundation.

In addition to Russian River Brewery, ten other Sonoma County breweries will release one of their signature beers under the Sonoma Pride label with 100% of the proceeds being devoted to this Sonoma Pride fundraising effort.

Sonoma Pride was originally conceptualized by Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River Brewing Company in July 2015 to celebrate the bounty and greatness of Sonoma County. Since that time, two beers (Amasa and Dauenhauer) have lived under the Sonoma Pride brand as an annual release at the Russian River Brewing Company brewpub. Under the dire circumstances Sonoma County is facing, Natalie and Vinnie have redirected the use of the Sonoma Pride name to help those in need after the tragic fires in Sonoma County. Instead of re-brewing Amasa and Dauenhauer (which have long production times) they are simply brewing a beer called Sonoma Pride to help those in need.

You can help victims of the wildfire either by purchasing Sonoma Pride at Russian River Brewery and select retail locations or by making a donation.

For every $25 you donate, you will have one chance to win line cutting privileges to Russian River Brewing Company’s 2018 Pliny the Younger release between February 2nd and 15th of 2018. All donors have a chance to win line cutting privileges for two people, each day of the 14-day release. Donate at sonomapride.com.

Want toย just make a donation right nowย without entering to win line cutting privileges? You may do so atย fundraise.kingridgefoundation.org/Sonoma-County-Fire-Relief.

Did you lose your home to the fires or know someone who did and could use aid? Click here for aย list of services that King Ridge Foundation is providing.

King Ridge Foundation is a Santa Rosa based 501(c)3 non-profit that through Levi’s GranFondo has raised more than $2.5million for charity since 2009. In 2015, King Ridge Foundation raised more than $60,000 for relief efforts in connection with the Valley Fire, one of California’s most destructive wildfires in the state’s history. The foundation’s mission is to give at-risk youth a chance. During times of heightened community needs, its mission expands to focus on enabling everyone to return normalcy to its community’s way of living.ย Learn more about King Ridge Foundation atย kingridgefoundation.org.