“I’ll never forget the notification phone call. I honestly thought it was a prank…”

It’s not every day that you’re able to give away a brand new motorcycle to an unsuspecting fundraiser. In fact, it’s once a year in the annual Gentlefolk Competition for The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. The Gentlefolk Competition is an open competition to all registered fundraisers, where simply unlocking 4 badges in your profile can put you in the running to win one of 3 prizes. The ultimate prize being a brand new modern classic motorcycle, courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles.

One of the best experiences with DGR is making that phone call – it doesn’t come without its challenges though. Getting them to believe that its legitimate and that they’ve actually won is no easy task. Naturally, it comes with trepidation and scrutiny. “Who are you again, and is this real?” is a very normal initial reaction. Once you can convince them to trust that the call is certainly real, the real fun begins. Shock and awe sets in, disbelief and gratitude take over, and the tone of winner at the end of the line turns from uncertainty to elation. What is most special, is hearing their story. Understanding why DGR is important to them, and why they passionately work to raise funds and awareness for Movember is humbling and heat-warming.

“It’s been just over a month since I received the amazing phone call from the DGR Staff, notifying me that I had won the Gentlefolk Competition top prize.  Here we are, one month later and my new 2024 Triumph T120 Black Edition in Graphite was officially delivered. 

I’ll never forget the notification phone call. I honestly thought it was a prank or scam call, but the more we talked about my DGR involvement, I knew only legitimate DGR team members would have that information. Each year, I get excited to reach my fundraising targets to receive the patch and pin sets and this year, to find out, I would receive a new Triumph motorcycle as 1 out of 117,000 registered riders, was a major shock, a shock I’m still recovering from.

Even though winning the bike is a very big deal, I’m still humbled to think about the goals and mission of the DGR and Movember. With every social media fundraising request I share, I remind my family and friends that men’s prostate health and mental health are things we can’t take lightly. These health concerns not only affect us as men, but also the loved ones who support us. My maternal grandfather passed away of prostate cancer when I was about 6 years old. My father passed away almost two years ago as he battled prostate issues, along with other serious health concerns. For these reasons, I’m more aware of my prostate health and I’m proactive with regular medical exams.  

As a retired veteran, I have close friends and family who struggle with PTSD each and every day. Their struggles are real and sometimes all they need is someone to talk with, to help them get them through a rough day. Others need more than verbal support and I’m thankful for the professional programs that exist for them because of the funding raised via the DGR.  For a few of my friends, some quality two-wheeled wind therapy is all that is needed to keep them positive and looking forward to the next ride. Every time I ride my new T120, I’ll be reminded of those who we support, along with some bereavement for those we’ve lost. 

I’m currently working with the Jacksonville, Florida DGR host, to be his co-host for next year’s ride. Shawn Thorsen has done a great job in Jacksonville, and I’m honored to be working alongside him to continue the success into 2025. Since our 2024 ride ended, we’ve recruited about a dozen new riders for next year and we’ll continue reaching out to the local community for their support. 

I greatly appreciate all of the time and effort that everyone has put into this. I’ve included a few pictures from delivery day, I hope you enjoy them. I look forward to many miles ahead on my new T120, and to all future DGR events.

Ride Dapper.”

Jason has taken part in DGR since 2022, and has raised over $5,000 to date. No doubt, you’ll be seeing him enjoying his brand-new Triumph T120 Black in DGR 2025. Thank you Jason, and congratulations again on a well-deserved prize.