DETAILS

With your help, Cranksgiving has grown to be one of the larger food drives in the St. Louis region. During the past 12 years and 800-1,000 participants each year, this drive has brought in more than 84 thousand items for Food Outreach and other local food pantries. As the organizer, we are truly in awe of your generosity and engagement in this event each year.

For the 2018 Cranksgiving on Sunday, November 11, BWorks is partnering with Operation Food Search. Operation Food Search works with many St. Louis youth. Since 1981, Operation Food Search has been in existence for more than 35 years and is the largest distributor of free food in the bi-state region. One important reason we have picked this group is a program that they run called Operation Backpack.

Each year we try and help cyclists understand the specific items desired by the food bank and work with the grocery stores to create premade, easy to purchase food bags, to offering SAG support at each stop so cyclists can purchase more items.

As the event has grown, a couple of logistical issues have arisen including:

Such an overwhelming amount of food is brought in all at once by this event that the organization runs out of storage space for all of the donated food (it’s also at a time of year when they receive many food donations from other generous groups)

The purchases you make at the grocers are at retail cost. What works best for food banks and food pantries is monetary donations — where they can purchase food for much less, at wholesale, and are also able to order exactly the type of food they need, when they need it. In other words, the food bank is able to make those dollars you would otherwise spend at the grocery store go much further, and do more good.

To alleviate these issues, it has been determined that moving forward, Cranksgiving will now ask for a monetary donation to ride. This donation will be given to Operation Food Search that will, in turn, use it to purchase food at wholesale (again, at a better price than you pay at the grocery store), at a time it’s needed. The charge will be $15 for cyclists age 18 and above and $10 for youth (those who can cycle on their own, so kids in trailers/added seats are free).

Each adult entrance fee covers the cost of three-weekend sacks of “kid-friendly,” shelf-stable food to help students eat through the weekend when school meals are not available.

To retain the nature of Cranksgiving, you will still to ride to grocery stores and shop for some very specific items to help fill the backpacks for Operation Backpack. We encourage each rider to spend at least another $5-10 each.

Thank you for your understanding as this event continues to evolve.

We hope that you will join us on Sunday, November 11, 2018 at Schlafly Tap Room in downtown St. Louis at 21st and Locust.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO CRANKSGIVING?

Individuals who want to participate in the bike portion of Cranksgiving need to bring a bicycle, helmet, and lock. Most people do the ride as small or large groups, one person often watches the other person’s bikes at the grocery store. Unless you have a group plan, please do not rely on others to watch your bicycle – a lock is advised.

A backpack, rack, or trailer is recommended if you wish to carry the food items you purchase. Otherwise, look for “Food SAG” vehicles to leave purchased items. Helmets are required.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PARTICIPATE?

Cranksgiving is $15/adult(age 18+) and $10/youth (kids who can ride two wheels on their own), however, riders are asked to bring a couple dollars with which to purchase food items to be donated to Operation Backpack. This is a food drive after all!

Food items most needed by Operation Backpack are:

• Tuna Packed in Water (cans or pouches)
• Chicken (cans or pouches)
• Peanut Butter (plastic jars only please)
• Mandarin Oranges

WHEN DOES THE RIDE BEGIN?

There will be staggered start times based on the mileage chosen. Please keep an eye on our social media pages for route info and start times. Our longest route, the 50-mile option starts first with the 5-mile route leaving last. If you’re late to the start, you can still ride. Just make sure to check in at registration to complete a release form.

Routes:

A link to routes will be provided via email the week of the event.

X-Long Route (50 miles) 8:30 AM

Long Route (25 miles) 9:30 AM

Medium (10 miles) and Short (5 miles) 10:15 AM

All routes will begin and end at Schlafly Tap Room at 2100 Locust St, St. Louis, MO 63103, we encourage you to be at the event 20-30 minutes before your route start time.

WHERE DOES THE RIDE GO?

Each year we try to vary the route, we try to use low-volume streets that are easy and enjoyable. Streets are NOT closed to traffic and you are expected to follow all laws of the road.

Maps and links to download maps will be released the week before the event on our social media page. Paper copies of the maps will be available the morning of the event.

DO I HAVE TO CARRY ALL OF THE THINGS I BUY?

There will be grocery stores on each route that have food SAG trucks that will carry items purchased from the store back to the start/finish for you. We will not keep track of who purchases what, we will only be collecting on the spot. Riders may choose to carry all of the items they purchase back to the start/finish if they wish.

HOW FAR DO WE RIDE? HOW DO I KNOW WHERE TO GO?

BWorks has planned routes starting at 5 miles and going all the way up to 50 miles. Please choose the route that is most appropriate for your skill, fitness, and experience level. Maps will be provided at registration to help you along the way. All routes will have markings intermittently on the road to help guide you. For those of you using GPS, we will release the routes the night prior with links to download via our Facebook page.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET A FLAT TIRE OR HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY BIKE?

The Alpine Shop is generously providing mechanical SAG (support and gear) for the ride until 1 PM. If you have a mechanical issue on the road, they can assist you. On the day of the event, phone numbers for mechanics will be included on the map and on our Facebook page. In the event of a medical emergency please call 911. Please remember to air up tires and do a safety check before you arrive.

WHERE DOES THE FOOD I PURCHASE GO?

The food items and the registration fee for Cranksgiving are all donated directly to Operation Food Search for its Operation Backpack program that decreases the burden of childhood hunger throughout the metro St. Louis area by providing a weekend food assistance program.

We encourage you to visit their website to find out more about what they do and to stop by their information table on the morning of the ride to talk with staff members about their impact.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE RIDE IS OVER?

After the ride has ended, we encourage you to stay. There will be food and beverages for sale both in the parking lot and inside from Schlafly and 10% of all food sales will be donated to Operation Food Search.

I WANT A T-SHIRT

We hope to be creating shirts at the event and will be posting links via Facebook and Twitter to order our multi-colored shirts.

WHAT IF I CAN’T PARTICIPATE IN THE RIDE, BUT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE?

You can still register as a virtual rider and make a donation.
If you’d like to volunteer send us an email at info@BWorks.org

Thanks so much,
Volunteers and Staff of BWorks