Olin Park Bike Path, 10 am – 12 pm

Madison’s 2025  Bike Ride for Middle East Children’s Alliance

July 20, 10am-Noon, leaving from Olin Park in Madison.

Join the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project team in this national ride for humanitarian aid!

We’ll gather in Olin park, head east on the Capital City  Bike Trail to BB Clark beach and  then return together, ending at Olin Park.  Here’s a link to the route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cWYg7yidbQvgRaHC6

We’ll have some bike decorations and watermelon available at Olin Park – Wear your Kuffiyas!

Everyone is welcome on this 6 mile ride!!  

And if you’d prefer to ride on your own or with friends at another time that’s more convenient for you, that’s fine!  Go ahead and register, then just reach out to us at madisontogaza@gmail.com about picking up your t-shirt and water bottle!

This ride is a fundraiser for Middle East Children’s Alliance.  Learn more about their humanitarian work in Gaza below, or  at https://www.mecaforpeace.org

TO SIGN UP AS A RIDER WITH THE MADISON-RAFAH SISTER CITY TEAM FOLLOW THESE STEPS:  

1. Go to https://rideforpalestine.com
2. Click REGISTER NOW.
3. Scroll down to the JOIN AN EXISTING TEAM Section.
4. In the Join and Existing Team section, choose RIDE FROM ANYWHERE $35.  This option is for all of us who are NOT riding in the Bay Area ride!  The $35 covers your Ride T-shirt and Water Bottle (you’ll pick a size later).
5. On the Search for Teams page enter Madison-Rafah Sister City Project in the box.
6. When Madison-Rafah Sister City Project pops up, click the green JOIN button.
7. Now you should be on a screen that offers the choice of login as a returning participant, or create an account.  If you rode with us last year and remember your login, you can login in. Or create a new account in a few seconds.
8. If you are creating a new account, click CREATE ACCOUNT.
9. Click the box to accept the waiver, then click CONTINUE.
10. Fill in address, phone, and personal information, and then in the Additioinal Information section of the page, enter your T-Shirt size.  Skip the spaces that pertain only to riders in the Berkeley ride, enter your cellphone and an emergency cell phone number, and click CONTINUE.
11. If you are entering several participants click ADD PARTICIPANT.  If you are just registering yourself, click SKIP THIS STEP.
12. Now enter your payment information to pay the $35 shirt/water bottle/Registration fee.
13. Make sure your info is right and click PROCESS PAYMENT.
14. Now the next few screens will guide you through setting up a fundraising page to make it easier for your friends, neighbors, colleagues and co-workers to help you raise money for Middle East Children’s Alliance!  You can upload a photo ( doesn’t have to be of your face!)  write a couple sentences about why you’re riding, and quickly get a link you can share with friends and on social media.  Then  you can click OPEN FUNDING PORTAL FOR MORE HELP AND SUGGESTIONS!
15. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING TO MAKE MADISON-RAFAH SISTER CITY PROJECT TEAM’S FUNDRAISING A SUCCESS!!!!

WHAT IS MIDDLE EAST CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE, AND WHY IS THEIR WORK IMPORTANT?

Today, the people of Gaza are facing an unprecedented level of death, injury, disease, trauma and destruction of their ability to survive in their own land. Hunger in particular has become so severe that the large majority of the population is now facing starvation and famine.  

Madison-Rafah Sister City Project has had a relationship with the city of Rafah in Gaza for 22 years. Although Israel has now completely leveled physical Rafah, its people are dispersed throughout Gaza along with the rest of Gaza’s 2 million surviving inhabitants. MRSCP continues to partner with the Middle East Children’s Alliance to provide urgent aid to children & families throughout Gaza.

During these terrifying and difficult times, Middle East Children’s Alliance’s (MECA) team in Gaza is still working to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. After a temporary ceasefire, Israel is dropping bombs on hungry, sick, and traumatized children in Gaza. Children and families in Gaza are once again desperate for the most basic things like food, water, medicine, and shelter.
Incredibly, MECA’s team of staff and community partners have been getting food and water to tens of thousands of people every single day since the genocide.  As bombs are dropping on homes, tents, and shelters, Israel is still using starvation a weapon, along with the deprivation of water, medicine, and electricity.

Here’s what MECA is doing in Gaza:

Hot meals every day. MECA has opened a new solar-powered community kitchen in northern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of people have returned since January. MECA’s four community kitchens in Gaza are cooking 13,000 hot meals every day.  In these difficult times they have been able to buy some meat, chicken, and fresh vegetables grown locally.

Water. MECA is  expanding distribution of safe, clean drinking water in the north and the south, with 14 trucks delivering clean drinking water and 13 solar-powered water purification units located in hospitals, shelters, and kitchens.  

Aid. MECA is continuing to package and distribute the small amounts of aid still in their warehouses which was brought in before Israel blocked incoming aid. This includes clothing, shoes, and food parcels.

Health. MECA provides nutrition care for children, a basic health clinic, garbage removal by donkey cart, and latrines for tent encampments.
 
You can learn more about Madison’s fundraising campaign for Middle East Children’s Alliance at Tinyurl.com/madisontogaza. And see their 100% Charity Navigator rating here.

Join the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project team in this national ride for humanitarian aid!

We’ll have some bike decorations and watermelon available at Olin Park – Were your Kuffiyas!

Everyone is welcome on this 5.2-mile ride!

And if you’d prefer to ride on your own or with friends at another time that’s more convenient for you that’s fine!  Go ahead and register, then just use this email to arrange picking up your t-shirt and water bottle.

This ride is a fundraiser for Middle east Children’s Alliance.  Learn more about their humanitarian work in Gaza below, or at MECA for Peace. 

What Is Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA), And Why Is Their Work Important?

Volunteer to Help: fill out this Google Docs form or use this email.

Ride Map & Schedule

Weather Updates

Register to Ride with the MRSCP Team

Get Ride Sponsors

Donate without Riding