
Stadtwerke Gießen and the Tour of Hope are continuing their fruitful cooperation for another five years. An important sign in view of the corona-related cancellation of the four-day charity tour next summer.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been keeping the world on tenterhooks for around eleven weeks now. One side effect of the pandemic is the cancellation of events. The Tour of Hope has also been affected. "Even if we had known for sure that the situation would ease by August, we would have had to make the same difficult decision," explains Gerhard Becker, Head of Organisation for the Tour of Hope. This is because the current contact restrictions prevented the many necessary personal meetings and appointments that are usually scheduled in the run-up to a tour. But despite the cancellation, those responsible for the charity tour had a reason to be happy: Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) extended its cooperation agreement with the Tour of Hope by five years. "We have been supporting the tour for more than 25 years. So it is only logical that we should continue to stand by each other and continue the partnership. Especially in these times," says Jens Schmidt, Commercial Director of SWG, explaining the extension of the contract.
Wide-ranging commitment
"The partnership between the Tour der Hoffnung and SWG has continued to develop over the past few years," says Matthias Funk, SWG's Chief Technical Officer. For example, the prologue starts on the Lahnstraße site. SWG will be responsible for hosting the reception for the riders and the organisation team and will provide a healthy and balanced breakfast. SWG will provide the necessary helpers with red shirts. In addition to a support vehicle, SWG also provides a coach every year. This is used to transfer the cyclists between the individual stages and for preparation and follow-up work.
However, SWG's commitment is not only centred around the actual tour in August. The Tour of Hope raises money throughout the year to support children with cancer and their families. The proceeds from a large raffle also flow into the donation box. The printing costs for the raffle tickets are covered by SWG. They also take every opportunity to sell raffle tickets for the good cause. Last but not least, SWG's local transport subsidiary MIT.BUS is advertising Germany's largest charity tour on a vehicle.
"We are very grateful that SWG is sticking to its sponsorship," explains Karsten Koch, Sports Director of the tour. And Dr Mathias Rinn, also Sports Director, adds: "Without the help of partners like SWG, the tour would be unthinkable."
Additional help always welcome
Of course, the recently renewed cooperation agreement cannot come close to compensating for the expected loss of donations due to the cancelled tour next summer. Not even if it is still possible to organise at least a one-day tour through Giessen and the district. This is why Stadtwerke Gießen is asking for donations on behalf of the Tour of Hope. "What the Tour of Hope has organised over the years deserves our recognition. For this reason, we would be delighted to join the organisers and, of course, the affected families, if one or two euros could be raised for this good cause beyond the usual channels," explains Ina Weller, SWG company spokesperson. What exactly happens with the donations and where they can be paid in is explained in detail at www.tour-der-hoffung.de.