FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why did the Ride for Life Chicago evolve to the Victory Lap Chicago?
Drawing on the profound history of TPAN’s Ride for Life Chicago, the Victory Lap is the new beginning of a triumphant fundraising movement, reinvigorating TPAN’s virtuous tradition and mission of bringing life-enhancing care to those living with HIV/AIDS and other related conditions.

The Victory Lap is a one-day movement that focuses on building a more accessible, more affordable, more inclusive community focused, fundraising event that is uniquely Chicago.

The Victory Lap welcomes all persons, regardless of experience level and can be joined on bike, skateboard, blades, foot or any other physical means that shows your commitment to the movement and fits your participation level.

Like its predecessor, Victory Lap will bring together thousands of donors and hundreds of volunteers, participants, and advocates. This will ensure that nearly 1,500 people each year have access to TPAN's care and services at no cost.

How can I participate?
There are many amazing ways to participate in the Victory Lap Chicago! Here are 6 awesome ways YOU can get connected to the Victory Lap community and find your route to getting involved.

Riders: Our Riders are the core of our movement.  We welcome all persons regardless of experience level and can be joined on bike, skateboard, blades, foot, or any other personal means! Our riders are challenged fundraise a minimum goal of $500 with a $250 minimum raised by 9/23/2023. You can select to be paired with a team or legacy rider who will help support your training and fundraising every pedal stroke of the way, no matter your fitness level or fundraising experience. 

Medical Crew: Safety is our number one priority. There are licensed medical professionals who support participants from the start of the route to the finish line, addressing participants medical and injury needs. A medical crew will examine injured participants and decide if it is safe for them to continue the movement in the event of an emergency.

Loop (route) Crew: Loop (route) crew oversees everything from route markings and participant check-ins to communicating route updates and weather concerns. Loop crew will also support "sweeping" participants who need help getting to the next point, and they monitor route sections to see that every participant makes it to their Victory Lap. Loop crew support safety, participants, and the fun of the Victory Laps experience.

Pit Crew: The Victory Lap includes pit stops and check-in stations along its route. The Pit crew supports these stations and our participants to help them complete their Victory Lap. Volunteers will help see that participants stay hydrated, fueled and inspired to complete the Victory Lap. 

Volunteer Crew: If you would like more information or not sure how you can help, join our general Volunteer Crew! We will help find the best way to show your commitment to the movement.

Donor: The Victory Lap is all about raising critical funds to support TPAN Chicago. You can support Victory Lap by making a donation to an individual participant. You can also make a general donation to the Victory Lap General Donation Fund online by clicking here or download an offline donation form for TPAN Chicago. Every dollar counts, and your donations are put to work immediately!

How Do I Prepare?
Whether you’re a brand-new participant or a seasoned Legacy Rider, we have tools to help get you ready to roll! Your first stop will be your Participant Center, which you get access to after registering. Your Participant Center is your one-stop-shop for all things VIctory Lap Chicago: Training resources, safety information, fundraising resources, your digital Welcome Booklet, and much more!

Training is an important component of participating in Victory Lap. To get our community road-ready, we encourage our participants to join us for official Training Rides. Training Rides are an important experience in group riding, benefiting your and everyone else’s safety.

The value of training includes the experience of moving, connecting and building community alongside other participants – and Training Rides can help you adjust to riding in large groups, learn how to safely pass and be passed, and get accustomed to calling out your intentions and any hazards you may see ahead so that others know exactly what you’re doing.

Official Training Rides are led by Cruise Chicago. Cruise Chicago, their Cruise Captains, and our Legacy Riders will teach you how to have a safe, successful ride – from cycling basics to mileage training and more!

Check our calendar page for upcoming Training Rides. Victory Lap registration is necessary to join us for a ride, so if you’re testing the waters before signing up, this is a fantastic way to meet our amazing community!

What if I want to ride, but do not have a bicycle?
Our transportation partner LYFT will provide promotional codes to train for Victory Lap as well as provide bikes for the event day as well! Reach out to Andrew.miller@viventhealth.org for more details.

What is the difference between fundraising minimum and goal?
Participants are asked to raise a minimum of $250 by 9/1/2023 to ride our route with a goal of raising fundraising $500! Push yourself to go further! There will be incentives and fundraising challenges over the summer to help inspire you.

Never fundraised before? you’ve got this! You’ll have a host of tools at your fingertips to help get you fundraising like a pro:

• Your Participant Center is full of social media shareables, email templates, event logistics information, a travel planner, and many other helpful resources
• Facebook Fundraisers may be created in Facebook directly. Simply choose TPAN as your beneficiary and we will add the total to your fundraising calculator. Facebook has temporarily disabled our direct integration while they rework their processing system, it is expected to go live again within this site soon. More details are available at facebook.com/help/990087377765844

Where does the money go?
When donating to the Victory Lap, your dollars are directed immediately to TPAN’s lifesaving and mission critical programs.

Want to know more about the direct impact your dollars have? Check out the chart below!

• $25 Helps cover the costs of an HIV/STI testing/counseling session and testing kit
• $75 Pays for a week's worth of food for a TPAN client
• $150 Provides a TPAN client with two mental health counseling sessions
• $150 Supports TPAN's housing navigation and case management experts' care for a homeless or unstably housed client
• $250 Pays for a starter kit (crate, food, leash, and shots) for dogs adopted through our Paws N' Effect program
• $250 Covers a week's expenses to provide homeless LGBTQ youth with basic needs care, such as meals, clothing, and support
• $500 Helps TPAN connect a low-income person living with HIV to vital health care and supportive services