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| Crew members on cycling events make
it all happen. From the time the team wakes up, to the time they go to bed, it
is the crew who provides full support to the cyclists, volunteers and community
partners. This trip would not be possible without its crew and any cyclist will
tell you how much he really appreciates his crew being there to meet the team’s
needs while on the road |
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Cycling is an extremely difficult
physical test, but being a crew member presents equal challenges that develop
management, communication and leadership skills that stay with you for the rest
of your life. The sense of accomplishment you feel as a crew member comes from
your great leadership and selflessness to support others in meeting Push
America’s mission. So, whether you are looking for an amazing adventure or a
summer internship you need not look any further than becoming a Gear Up Florida
crew member.
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| Crew
Benefits: |
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• College credit for internship
• First-Aid/CPR certification
• Training in management, communications, and leadership
• Advanced individual training for crew position |
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| What are
the different crew positions? |
| CREW POSITIONS |
MAIN RESPONSIBILITY |
| Project Manager |
Overall team operations. |
| Logistics Coordinator |
Coordinating events with sponsors |
| Crew Chief |
On the road operations and team nutrition |
| Equipment Manager/Finance |
Manager equipment, team expenses, donations and sales. |
| Public Relations |
Coordination of media interviews. |
| Community Relations |
Team journalist and maintains volunteer/sponsor relations. |
| Corporate Sponsor Relations |
Corporate sponsor relations and event demographics. |
| Historian |
Team photographer. |
| New Media Coordinator |
Team videographer and maintains team's social media accounts. |
| Leadership Development Coordinator |
Facilitates team service learning, disability education and organizational awareness |
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| Is Gear
Up Florida open to Pi Kappa Phi Alumni? |
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| All Push America team events are open to alumni. Alumni participation has greatly increased and has also
added very strong and experienced leaders to our teams. Alumni are highly
encouraged to participate in Push America’s team events. |
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| I'm
putting myself through school or have a career, how can I afford this or get
time off? |
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| Gear Up Florida is an experience
that you can't afford not to do! More than half of the Gear Up Florida team members
have part-time jobs, some even full-time. You have to plan ahead and save up
some of your hard earned dollars so you can participate in something that will
change your life! Most employers are very understanding when it comes to
commitment to service, so ask early and get them involved in your experience. |
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| Fundraising
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| What is
the fundraising minimum? |
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| Cyclist: $2,500 Crew:$1,000 |
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| How hard is the fundraising? |
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| Raising thousands of dollars may be
an incredible challenge, but it is possible! If you are like 96% of our team
members, you will raise a lot more than that! Push America has the resources to
help you reach your goals - we just need team members willing to do the work. |
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| How have
team members raised their money in the past? |
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The average contribution is $25;
meaning you need to ask almost everyone you know in order to meet your
fundraising goals. The following areas have been the
most successful: family
and friends, civic clubs, local businesses, sororities, churches and fundraising
events. Once on the team, team members will receive a manual with even more fundraising ideas. |
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| What if,
despite his best efforts, a team member falls short of the fundraising
requirement? When is the fundraising deadline? |
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| If team members are having problems
with fundraising, they need to contact the Push America office as soon as
possible. The staff can provide resources to be successful, but ultimately it
takes time and effort. Two weeks prior to orientation each team
member must reach the fundraising minimum. If a team member does not meet the minimum two
weeks prior to the first day of his orientation, Push America will hold a
credit card number as collateral and set up a fundraising extension date. If
the minimum is not met by this date, the card will be charged the remaining
balance. |
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Training
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| How much training does it take? |
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| Cycling an average of 75 miles a
day for 2 weeks across Florida is difficult. While you do not have to be a
serious cyclist to participate in Gear Up Florida, you will have to train hard
to get in shape. The majority of past team members have never done any serious
cycling, but upon acceptance, a strong training program must be followed to
prepare yourself for the ride. |
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| What if a
team member doesn’t have a bike and has not been on one in years? |
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| Most people who are accepted to Gear
Up Florida don't have a bike. There are resources to help get you outfitted for
your ride. Most team members have not been on a bike since they were kids. Team
members need to get started right away, so they will have no problem getting in
shape by Regional Team Training. |
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| When do
team members need to be at the opening event? |
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Crew members report to Charlotte,
NC by 12:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, May 5, 2013.
Cyclists report to Miami, FL by
2:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 9, 2013. |
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| Is there
a list of recommended supplies and clothing to pack? |
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| Team members can find a detailed list of needed
and/or recommended items in their Participant Center, or can request one by contacting the director of team services or office manager. |
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| Are there
certain items that others have found to be very important or helpful to have on
their journey? Are there any suggestions to add to a birthday gift list? |
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| These often depend on what a team member
already has. If you have a specific question, please contact the director of team services at teamservices@pushamerica.org or (704) 504-2400 ext. 5388. |
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| How much money
should a team member budget for the summer? What costs are team members
responsible for? |
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| Team members are responsible for travel to and from
orientation and arrival and their bike expenses. Three meals a day, snacks during cycling
and lodging each night is provided for the event. What team members spend over
the event is proportional to their spending habits now! Previous team members
have spent from $20 to $1,000! A good number to have available is around $500
for emergencies. Listed here are a few of the expenses you may have: bike
repairs, entertainment, souvenirs, phone calls and laundry. |
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| Do the
riders have to supply their own uniforms? If so, what are the costs of the
uniforms? |
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| Each team member will receive a set of sportswear for the summer.
Cyclists will be provided with a cycling jersey, a pair of cycling shorts and
team t-shirts to wear during programmed events. Crew members will be provided with
polos and team t-shirts to wear during programmed events. Additional sportswear will be available through
fundraising incentives or for purchase if team members want to have extra sets.
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| What is the
best way to send the bike? |
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| You can either box up the bike
yourself or take it to a bike shop and have it done professionally. The easiest
way to transport the bicycle is on the flight to orientation. Make sure to
look at each airline fee prior to booking travel, as they do differ. Try to
pitch the airlines before arriving as well as at check-in to see if they will
give you a discount. Make sure to explain what your trip is all about. |
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| Do team
members need to arrange their own flight and bike transportation to the start
of the event? |
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| Yes, each team member is responsible for
his flight out and back. Team members need to arrange their own flights unless
they receive the incentives that include flight travel. |
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| Are they
responsible for paying for their flights or can they use donations for that? |
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| If someone makes a donation to a
team member’s campaign, the donation is not allowed to be used for flights.
Donations to Push America are tax deductible, but donations for flights to
individuals are not. Team members should ask for help on travel, and they
should focus that ask on people who travel often. See if that frequent flier
has extra miles to give before asking for monetary donations. |
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| Where do
team members leave from in their kick-off city, so family/friends can stay
nearby? |
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| Family and friends are welcome to attend
the kick-off; however, it is important that any family or friends planning on
coming to Miami understand that orientation is a very busy time and team
members have meetings and training taking up a large portion of their time.
Most family and friends travel to Tallahassee instead to celebrate the arrival
and accomplishments of the Gear Up Florida team. |
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| Do most participants fly and arrive the day before orientation? |
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| The majority of participants arrive
the day orientation starts. Push America does not provide lodging prior to the
first day of orientation. |
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| Is there
transportation from the airport to a designated start point? |
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| Yes, Push America will provide
transportation from Miami Airport (MIA) to the place of orientation. If a team
member arrives at a different airport than the designated one, he will have to
find his own transportation to orientation. |
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| What is an average day? |
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| Below is a schedule to give you an
idea of an average day on Gear Up Florida. This schedule will vary from day to
day, with different local events being planned with many different
organizations. Gear Up Florida is a very fast-paced event with a good amount of
programming involved in every city visited. Expect to be very active and to meet
a lot of amazing people along the way. |
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| Time |
Event |
| 5:30 a.m. |
Wake up |
| 6:00 a.m. |
Breakfast (crew meeting & team circle up) |
| 6:30 a.m. |
Departure to destination city (80-85 miles cycling) |
| 12:30 p.m. |
Stage-up (team gathers for media arrival) |
| 1:00 p.m. |
Arrive at destination (media, lunch, Friendship Visit) |
| 3:00 p.m. |
Depart for lodging |
| 3:30 p.m. |
Bike shop runs, Wal-Mart, laundry, crew errands |
| 5:30 p.m. |
Depart for sporting event, Friendship Visit or other activity |
| 6:00 p.m. |
Dinner with local organization |
| 9:00 p.m. |
Depart for lodging for much needed rest/free time |
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| Where do the teams eat? |
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| Three meals are provided each day:
two on the road and a sponsored dinner each evening. You will eat some of the
best meals of your life! Snacks are available in the support vehicles during
each day's ride. |
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| Where do the teams stay? Is lodging included in the money the team member raises? |
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Lodging will be provided by all the
wonderful Push America volunteers across Florida. Teams will be sleeping on
gym floors, in hotels, in church basements, etc.
Team members will not have to
pay for any lodging during their trek across Florida. |
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| What kind
of roadside support is provided? |
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| Gear Up Florida has a trained crew
that is responsible for general roadside support. The vehicles are set up every
5-10 miles, so at any point in time a cyclist is never more than 5 miles from
assistance. Safety is a top priority on our teams. |
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| Is it safe cycling across Florida? |
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| Push America's Gear Up Florida has
trained crew members that are responsible for general roadside support and
coordinating the logistics of the program. Each crew member is trained for
specific responsibilities pertaining to the program and has been certified in
basic first aid and CPR. Safety is paramount on the road. Each cyclist must
have proficient skills upon arrival at orientation. Each cyclist must wear a
helmet! Failure to cycle in a safe manner or not wearing a helmet may lead to
dismissal from the team. While we cannot guarantee a person’s safety, their
protection, health and well-being are a top priority of Push America. |
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| Can team
members be contacted in case of an emergency? |
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| Team members can be contacted on
their cell phones during the trip, but they are not allowed to use them while
on the bike or during programming events. If there is an emergency, the project
manager may be contacted to relay a message. Parents will be given phone
numbers of their son’s project manager before the trip begins. |
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Can
team members receive mail during the event? Are there ways to send
inspirational notes or little gifts along the way to let him know we’re
thinking of him and supporting his progress? |
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| There will be one scheduled mail
drop on Gear Up Florida for family and friends to send well wishes, notes,
postcards, letters, and/or packages. It will be listed on the website prior to
the start of the event. |
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| Can team
members be visited out on the road? |
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| Meeting with family and friends
along the route is encouraged. The project manager must be notified at least 48
hours in advance of the visit by the team member. |
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| At what
point is it advised for the families to come out and participate? |
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| Families can come out and
participate at any point, as long as it is coordinated with your son’s project
manager because we need a final food count |
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| If parents,
family or friends want to treat the group to a dinner along the way, how does
that work? |
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| Contact the Director of Logistics, Tom Schmidt to
sponsor a meal for the team at logistics@pushamerica.org or (980) 318-5390. |
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| How can someone
follow the teams’ progress during the trip? |
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| Go to www.pushamerica.org and click on the
specific event. You can check out the links for the itinerary and roster. |
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| When the
teams stop for the night, will they have towels/washcloths/bedding provided? |
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| Team members need to bring a towel,
wash cloth, an air mattress, and sleeping bag. Make sure to check the packing
list for other needed items. |
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| How can family
be of most help? --- What is the ideal family participation? |
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| Team members start their journey when they sign up for a team event. Preparation
for the event can be very challenging, so encouragement or assistance with
fundraising and training is very important. Another important time is the
arrival. The arrival is an exciting and emotional experience for everyone
involved. We suggest if you can make it to only one event during the summer,
this would be the event. |
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| How are
team members treated for medical issues? |
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| All crew members have had training and are
certified in CPR and First Aid. There are crew vehicles with the team
in case of an emergency and these can be used to transport someone in need of
medical attention. |
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| What type of shelter is available during the inevitable thunderstorms that happen so quickly? |
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| Crew vehicles are available in case
of inclement weather. |
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| Where do
teams keep their bikes at night and when eating, so they are safe? |
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| Most of the time bicycles are kept at
lodging next to each team member while they sleep, but it depends on the
location. The bikes will be watched or locked up at all times. |
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| What
happens if team members have difficulty keeping up with the pace? |
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| Training ahead of time is very
important so this does not become an issue. Cycling is not the only important
aspect of the event, and there are time requirements each day to reach events
in the next city. These requirements should be no problem for someone who has
done the necessary training. No one will be left behind, but if someone is
having difficulty with the required pace for the day, actions will be taken to
get the team to the next event on time, including having them ride in the
support vehicle for varying distances. |
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| On the
days the guys aren’t riding, will they have free time to see family or friends? |
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| It depends on the day, but a “day off”
is a day off from the bike. This does not necessarily mean a free day. Often
times there are Friendship Visits and/or sponsored events, these “days off” are
referred to as programming days. Make sure to check the itinerary and
coordinate with the project manager on time away from the team. |
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| Are
family members able to join the ride and what is the cost? |
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| Yes, family members may participate
in a ride along with the team. For safety reasons, each rider must be able to
perform certain skills before riding with the team. There are fundraising requirements
of $100 for one day, $250 for two days or $500 for three days. Check out the
Push America website for more information and requirements. |
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| Where do
team members finish in Tallahassee, so family/friends can be there to cheer
them on? Do parents/family/friends stay at a certain hotel in Tallahassee? |
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Team members will arrive on
Saturday, May 25, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at the Capitol in Tallahassee.
Be sure to arrive at the Capitol by 2:30 p.m. to get a spot to see the teams,
as they will arrive promptly at 3:00 p.m. There will be time to take plenty of
pictures following a short program.
Team member lodging will be an easy
walk from the Capitol to the hotel. Parents, family and friends
need to make their own arrangements through the room block set aside at the
same hotel the team members are staying. More information will be available on
the Push America website. Push America will arrange and pay for the lodging of
team members on the night of arrival. |
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