From the very first year, the support that Wall Street Rides FAR (For Autism Research) has received from the industry has been incredible, according to David LaValle, CEO at Alerian, and member of the Wall Street Rides FAR Board.
The annual charity cycling and walking event benefitting the Autism Science Foundation (ASF) has grown rapidly in terms of participants, sponsors and industry reach.
“Since our inaugural Ride in 2016, Wall Street Rides FAR has raised over $2m dollars for the Autism Science Foundation, and we have continued to hit new fundraising goals each year. This has helped ASF fund crucial research to understand the causes of autism and develop new treatments,” LaValle told Traders Magazine.
He said that individuals with autism and their families have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic in terms of lost school time, cancelled services, social isolation and shuttered university research sites. “Funding became more important than ever as some of the more traditional fundraising events were no longer allowed during COVID,” he stressed.
Wall Street Rides FAR was unable to host an in-person Ride last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but was able to pivot to a virtual ride, LaValle said.
“The silver lining was that this format opened up a world of possibilities in terms of geographical reach. Riders were able to host their own socially distanced gatherings and we saw teams participate from across the U.S., Canada and even Singapore,” he said.
“We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors as we were able to raise over $250,000 at the event in 2020,” he added.
On June 28, Wall Street Rides FAR (WSRF) appointed Marc Wyatt, Head of Global Trading at T. Rowe Price, and Jos Schmitt, President & CEO of the NEO Exchange, a Tier 1 Canadian stock exchange, to its Board of Directors.
The Board is comprised of seven members, all of whom are industry veterans, LaValle said: “That number does not include event co-founders Bryan and Melissa Harkins, who continue to play a leading role. There is not a predetermined term of office for members of the Wall Street Rides FAR Board.”
“The push to engage new communities will continue this year – Marc is based in Baltimore, and Jos is based in Toronto – and we look forward to maintaining a virtual component even as we welcome our community back to the in-person event in Westchester,” he added.
Schmitt told Traders Magazine that he’s excited to be on the Board as it gives him the opportunity to support and help guide WSRF “in a more meaningful way”.
“However, this only works if you believe in the cause and make the right amount of time available. In my particular scenario, being Canada based, it is also a great way to spread the good work WSRF is doing, north of the border. There is a need for more awareness and support in Canada too,” he explained. He believes there is still a lack of awareness about autism and what it means for those affected and their caregivers.
“You need to have been directly involved to understand. This means that from a financial support perspective it is getting far less attention than other disorders and illnesses. This needs to change. I see WSRF not only as a vehicle to raise money but a tool to increase awareness within a community that has the ability to enable change,” he said.
According to Schmitt, autism spectrum disorder is a development disorder that affects a large number of children. According to the latest CDC data, about 1 in 54 children in the U.S. has been identified with autism spectrum disorder.
“It leads to isolation and limited integration for these children, and it leads to tremendous stress and pressure on their parents. Despite being in 2021, we are still totally unclear about what the real cause is. This needs to be addressed,” he said.
“I have close friends who have been living the experience of raising an autistic child. Special education and care allowed them to achieve very encouraging results now that he is a young adult, but it put a lot of stress on the family and they often felt lost due to a lack of resources or information,” he added.
This year’s Wall Street Rides FAR is set to take place on Saturday, October 2 at the event’s flagship location at Saxon Woods Park in White Plains, New York and in other satellite locations globally.
When asked about fundraising goals for this year’s event, Schmitt commented: “To improve on last year, where the NEO team, in its first appearance, was one of the top fundraisers. But also, to encourage other Canadian organizations to participate.”
