Honoring our volunteers
Ron
Wilmot
Ron Wilmot was an extraordinary individual.
The Ron Wilmot Bike Ride for Project Inform was founded by Ron
Wilmot, a real-estate entrepreneur, HIV/ AIDS activist, and long-time
Project Inform volunteer and supporter. Ron experienced firsthand
how Project Inform’s treatment information helped him to better
manage his health. An avid cyclist, Ron also believed that regular
exercise was also key to improving his longevity and quality of
life. As bike rides go, the Ron Wilmot Bike Ride for Project Inform
may not be a demanding athletic event—but it is a very special
one.
In just over two years, Ron single-handedly raised over $100,000
for AIDS treatment and research advocacy to end the HIV/ AIDS epidemic.
And, after 13 years of the annual event, the Ride raised over $800,000
to support Project Inform’s programs.
Ron was a terrific fundraiser— he elevated the gathering
of sponsors for athletic fundraisers to a fine art, dedicating much
of his own time and resources inspiring countless others to join
him. His courage and fortitude were legendary in the AIDS community
and in fundraising circles everywhere. Although Ron died of AIDS
in 1997, the fundraising he pioneered goes on.
In starting the Ride more than a decade ago, Ron Wilmot wanted
to create a way for people who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
to become involved with Project Inform and learn how they can improve
their health—or the health of someone they care about—by
educating themselves about the disease. Ron demonstrated the impact
each of us can make in altering the course of the AIDS epidemic.
We treasure Ron’s legacy of activism, community involvement,
and planning for future generations. What began as a visionary idea
has become one of Project Inform’s most important beloved
annual fundraising events.
