Source Informatics Commits $45,000 for Bike Ride Benefiting Homeless Children

Business Wire, Oct 3, 1997

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 3, 1997--Source Informatics has committed to donate $45,000 to this year's Ride for the Children, an annual 25-mile bicycle ride that provides financial support to the Thomas J. Pappas Elementary School for children of homeless families.

Ride for the Children will be held on Sunday, Nov. 16, with a goal of raising $100,000.

According to Don Rogers, co-chair of Ride for the Children, the Source Informatics donation will be used to fund the school's new medical center, which will now bear the company's name.

"The medical center works with more than 70 volunteer pediatricians and nurses to care for these children's urgent needs," said Rogers. "Once the ear infections, tooth decay and other medical problems are cared for, the children can begin to learn."

"Last year," said Rogers, "Source Informatics, a leading provider of information to the healthcare industry, sponsored us with $5,000.

"Realizing the important role Thomas J. Pappas Elementary School plays in the lives of homeless children, the company generously decided to fund the entire medical center. We are hoping other companies in the Phoenix area will step forward with similar commitments."

According to Rogers, "One hundred percent of the funds raised through Ride for the Children will go directly to the school. With the costs of the new medical center being fully funded by Source Informatics, all additional money will be spent on clothing, food, school supplies, field trips and the many other necessities needed to improve the lives of homeless children."

The Thomas J. Pappas Elementary School was founded in 1990 by Maricopa County School District. Last school year, it served more than 900 homeless students from the greater Phoenix area in grades kindergarten through eight, with an average daily attendance of around 300.

Since the school does not receive property taxes or bond money, it must rely on individual and corporate contributions and fund-raising efforts like Ride for the Children to provide badly-needed necessities and outreach services.

Ride for the Children is a 25 mile bicycle ride that begins at 8 a.m. at Desert Horizon Park at 56th Street and Paradise Lane on Nov. 16. The course is mostly flat and winds through some of the most beautiful backroads of Paradise Valley. Water will be provided along the route, and food, juice and coffee will be provided as riders return to the park.

For the 2nd year in a row, the Sheriffs Posse has generously donated their services by providing traffic control.

All riders must make a pledge, or receive pledges, of at least $50 by Nov. 9. Contributors interested only in making a tax-deductible pledge may make their check payable to Thomas J. Pappas School and mail them to: Ride for the Children, c/o The Rogers Group, Inc., 4939 East Aire Libre, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Include your name, address and phone number.

Participants may obtain registration information at most area bike shops or by calling the Rogers Group Inc. at 602/788-5200.

Ride for the Children was founded in 1996 by Don and Conde Rogers. The event was an outgrowth of a leadership training program offered by Landmark Education Corp. in which the Rogers were participants. An assignment for the course was to take on a project in the community of their choosing. The Rogers chose this because they are committed all people have the opportunity of a great future.

"This bike ride is an easy way for people to directly and profoundly improve the lives of homeless children," said Rogers. "If everyone contributes something, together we will break the cycle of poverty." -0-

Source Informatics America is a leading provider of prescription, prescriber, pharmacy and managed care database and information solutions for the health care industry. Source Informatics provides a wide range of information solutions to pharmaceutical and health care companies in the United States. These solutions enable Source Informatics' clients to maximize their performance in a value-driven environment. Many of the company's services are generated from or enhanced by, proprietary databases containing unique pharmacy, managed care, health care market and medical prescriber data.

NOTE TO EDITORS: High quality, digitally scanned photographs of the school and last year's bike ride are available upon request by calling 602/788-5200.

Source Informatics Homepage: http://www.simatics.com

CONTACT: The Rogers Group, Inc.

Don Rogers, 602/788-5200

FAX 602/493-7471