100 miles for 100 years: Delta TechOps' Ride 4 the Fight raises over $17,000 for cancer research

Nine years ago, Emiel Akkermans, Maintenance Manager at Delta’s AMS station, had a dream to start a charity event to raise money for cancer research after losing one of his best friends to the disease.

An avid cyclist and someone who never does anything just halfway, Emiel — backed by Senior Vice President of Delta TechOps Operations, Jerry Allen — kicked off the first Ride 4 the Fight event in Brussels, Belgium, in 2017. Around 75 cyclists completed the “Palace to Palace” ride, a 240K route from Brussels to Amsterdam, and the annual ride began.

This year on Sept. 27, 150 riders — the largest number in the event’s history — from all over the world and from different departments across Delta, came together in Nijmegen, Netherlands, for the ninth Ride 4 the Fight. Participants included employees from Airport Customer Service, Flight Ops, In Flight Services and Corporate divisions, representing over 10 stations including: JFK, SEA, BOS, ATL, MSP, DUB, FRA, AMS, SLC, DTW and MSP.

Cyclists chose from four different Delta Century Ride routes this year, with the longest being 185K — just over 100 miles to celebrate Delta’s centennial year.  Each ride took the cyclists through the 2,000-year-old city of Nijmegen, across scenic Dutch landscapes and historic World War II sites, even crossing through Germany for parts of the journey.

Energy ran high at the event as employees and their families suited up in custom Delta Centennial cycling jerseys provided by co-sponsor EV Cargo, fueled up with food and sports drinks from Gate Gourmet, and mounted custom-fit bikes supplied by Tomas Planken and Joy Rides rentals.

From beginners to expert cyclists — this event was for all. Ride 4 the Fight is another inspiring example of Delta employees worldwide coming together for a common cause.

Thanks to the generosity of Delta employees who rode, and TechOps employees who organized fundraisers prior to the event and made donations to the cause, more than $17,000 — equivalent to 15,000 euros — was raised for the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF).

The check, presented to the KWF President, not only funds cancer research, but also improves the lives of those who are currently battling cancer.

"Delta TechOps' support for the Dutch Cancer Society in the Ride 4 the Fight today is a powerful reminder of our responsibility to help those in need — a core part of Delta’s culture of giving back to our communities,” said Jerry.

Each participant came to ride with their own experiences and motivating reasons, either with loved ones’ journeys with cancer or their own.

“It’s amazing to work for a company and a leader like Jerry, who backed this event and sponsors us to do this every year,” Emiel said. “Watching the event grow each year is truly inspiring. Thank you to every sponsor, supporter and rider who made this possible."

International station spotlight: AMS — the team powering many of your flights across Europe

The Delta TechOps Amsterdam team is comprised of 27 employees who operate 17 flights daily out of Schiphol. Powering Delta’s global airline, this team also covers maintenance needs at Delta stations in Rome, Copenhagen, Geneva, Zurich, Athens, Stockholm, Brussels and Lagos.

Evidenced through the creation of Ride 4 the Fight, giving back to their communities is a core thread woven throughout every Delta station. Just one week prior to the bike ride, the AMS TechOps and ACS team worked together to organize a special event with Stichting Hoogvliegers and Royal Schiphol Group to give children with special needs the chance to experience aviation on Delta’s fleet of A321s and A330s for a day. They got a tour inside the cockpit, an engine and the landing gear bay — parts of the airplane some people never get to experience.

The team is also investing in the next generation of aircraft mechanics, through teaching programs and hosting students from local technical aviation colleges.

Looking ahead: Delta’s fundraising for breast cancer research

This October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Delta is celebrating its 20-year partnership with Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). This partnership has raised $33 million to fund over 660,000 hours of life-saving research.