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Mamma Jamma Ride Kick-Off Party rolls at GSD&M
It was part pep rally, part recruiting session, part social mixer. The Mamma Jamma Ride Kick-Off Party packed several hundred people, many in sports wear, into the tall, echoing lobby of the GSD&M building on West Sixth Street. They ate nutritious food, sipped cold drinks and wandered around the overwhelmingly female crowd.
Mamma Jamma is now firmly established in Austin’s social giving universe. The recreational event raises money for the breast cancer flight right here in Central Texas. It’s backers are fervent: Before the Oct.1 ride, expect to be recruited to bike, or to donate money in the name of a rider.
Ride backer Kerry Tate, who helped raise more than $2 million during the tenure, introduced this year’s honorary chairwoman, lobbyist Andrea McWilliams. The fit-for-any-event McWilliams recounted her bout with breast cancer and her passion for fundraising, as did other speakers. It was difficult to resist the momentum!
But I don’t ride. Issues with balance, speed and traffic. I walk. And write. On a crushingly muggy night like last night, a breezy bike would have been a welcome option. But I walked on. And Mamma Jamma continues to roll toward its $1.5 million goal this year.