Community members received an update of the plans for when the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) makes its overnight stop in Jefferson later this month.
The main bike route through Jefferson is on Lincoln Way as the participants come into Jefferson from Scranton on July 23rd and leave to head to the next overnight stop in Ames on July 24th. Executive Co-Chair Toni Wetrich said there will be close 700 RVs coming into town as support vehicles and upwards of 30,000 people on July 23rd. With so many people, lots of volunteers are also needed. Volunteer Committee Chair Sherry Graven says she needs about 400 people to help in the: beverage garden, transportation, information booth, campgrounds, sanitation and entertainment setup and teardown. She adds that everyone, including teenagers can help.
“We would love the teenagers help us. They can either be accompanied by an adult or we can make sure that they have a job that they are able to do without much supervision, we would love that yes. Everyone needs to help participate and make Jefferson look like a great place to live, which it is. And let’s have a good time at RAGBRAI.”
Volunteers will also receive a free t-shirt as well. Volunteer forms can also be found at jeffersonragbrai.com.
Wetrich said about 40 large group of bike riders, consisting of 7,000 participants, have been assigned to various places in town. However about another 800 riders still need housing. Executive Co-Chair Matt Wetrich noted that the housing committee will match up hosts with registered RAGBRAI riders.
“That means that the RAGBRAI insurance covers anything or everything that you could possibly have an issue with. Because there will be people that jump on for a day or two, or just don’t get registered. But going through the process of our housing committee will have you nice and secure under the insurance of RAGBRAI which is a nice benefit.”
Jefferson RAGBRAI will also have two more appearances at the Greene County Farmers Market on July 10th and the 17th to answer questions and sign people up for housing, to be a volunteer or purchase t-shirts.