Tour de Fresh۪s success continues

The fourth year of Tour de Fresh has been the best one yet.

“That’s what we say every year,” said Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, Watsonville, Calif. “Each year is the best year yet.”

The California Giant Foundation, founded in 2015, organizes the annual Tour de Fresh, and the 2017 Tour de Fresh raised approximately $168,000 to help support Salad Bars to Schools, a program aiming to put a salad bar in every school in the country.

Tour de Fresh, which ended July 27, is a three-and-a-half day biking adventure that spans more than 250 miles. The event was full this year, with 50 produce industry participants.

Jewell said most new riders come to the event expecting it to be a simple bike trek, never expecting the level of support they receive.

“They have no idea how much they’ll be taken care of,” she said, noting that 20 support staff accompany the 50 bikers throughout the entire journey.

Jewell also said most new riders aren’t aware of the kind of camaraderie that is forged throughout the week.

“You have new people who don’t always know each other who’ll be best friends when they leave.”

Although they may not have known each other before the event, all participants have spent the past six months fundraising for support. The donations and fundraising proceeds are enough to fund at least 52 salad bars in schools across the country.

“Donations are still coming in even though the event is over, which is great. Our goal is to eliminate the waiting list,” Jewell said, referring to the list of schools that have applied to have a salad bar installed only to land at the back of the pack.

“We’re chipping away at it every year.”