For the past thirty years, a dedicated, passionate – yes, some might even say crazy – crew of volunteers has provided the glue that holds the New England Classic together.
These are the individuals who recruit riders, promote the event, staff the rest stops, drive the Gear Truck and support vehicles, serve as bike mechanics, design and mark 550 miles of route, manage communications, arrange the lodgings and meals, and so much more.
We quite literally could not do the NEC without our volunteers.
During the two or seven-day ride, a volunteer’s assignment might be one of the following duties:
- Staffing a rest stop and providing cyclists with water, Gatorade, chips, fruit and snacks;
- Checking cyclist numbers at a rest stop to ensure they are all accounted for;
- Driving one of the event vehicles, which include the rest stop vehicles, the mechanic vans, the rest stop supply and sweep vehicles, and even the big Gear Truck;
- Assisting with loading cyclists’ gear onto the Gear Truck in the morning and off the truck at the end of the day;
- Setting up informal water stops along the route;
- Assisting with loading supplies into the vehicles every evening;
The work isn’t complicated or hard, but it IS incredibly important!
We are always in need of new volunteers, especially on the NEC 550. Do you have what it takes to join this grand endeavor?
Here’s what you’ll get
Ok, it’s true. The NEC volunteers work hard, but we have so much fun doing it that we can’t imagine doing anything else. And we know we are part of something much bigger and more important – supporting the 34 million Americans with diabetes and raising funds to find a cure.
If you have a weekend or a week to spare to make a real difference in the world, please talk to us about becoming a NEC volunteer.
