Fundraising bike ride to Lake Garda raises €31,000

By Katrin Reil

Pedalling hard, getting to know Europe and raising funds at the same time – this has been the principle of the student initiative ESB Cycling for Charity for many years. This summer the cycling tour of students from ESB Business School at Reutlingen University was headed for Lake Garda. The cyclists collected around €31,000 for their donation partners. The proceeds go in equal parts to the Reutlingen-based Integramus Association and the Association for Children with Cancer based in Tübingen.  

From 5 to 12 May, the team from ESB Cycling for Charity covered a distance of 575 kilometres to its destination Riva del Garda in Italy. “Crossing the Alps was definitely the sporting highlight. Our legs still remember the Hahntennjoch pass in Austria particularly well”, says tour participant Jonas Reineke.

From bright sunshine in Italy to rain, wind and snow in the Alps, the weather conditions did not make it easy for the students this year. Nevertheless, being part of ESB Cycling for Charity, was a matter of honour for Jeanne Englert: “Being able to take part in an initiative with such a long tradition is quite definitely one of the highlights of studying in Reutlingen. The tour was the grand finale of a year in which we spent many hours on our bikes and made new friends“.

For ESB Cycling for Charity the students manage the complete organisation by themselves in the run-up to and during the tour as well as the search for sponsors who support the venture with money and donations in kind. In cooperation with other student associations, the team organised several fundraising events on campus during the run-up to the tour.

The proceeds of around €31,000 will benefit two long-standing donation partners: “The Association for Children with Cancer Tübingen and Integramus are two local organisations that do great work. We are happy and proud to be able to support both initiatives again”, Jonas Reineke is pleased to say on behalf of the entire ESB Cycling for Charity team.

Integramus from Reutlingen supports the building of wells, schools and kindergartens in Africa and has also been involved in projects in Ukraine for many years. The Association for Children with Cancer Tübingen provides psychological and social support for children with cancer and their families and runs two “family houses“ with overnight accommodation. The official handing over of donations to both partners will take place on 8 October as part of the graduation ceremony at ESB Business School.