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Tour de Tonka organizers seek 600 volunteers for 20th anniversary ride Aug. 2
Summary
Organizers of Tour de Tonka told the Eden Prairie City Council they expect about 897 riders this year, will ride through four counties and 25 cities, and are asking the public for more than 600 volunteers to support rest stops, route safety and event operations; proceeds benefit the ICA food shelf.
Molly, coordinator for Midnetonka Preschool Early Childhood Family Education, briefed the Eden Prairie City Council Tuesday about the 20th anniversary Tour de Tonka ride scheduled for Aug. 2 and asked for volunteer support. Molly said the event is marking its twentieth year and currently has 897 registered riders—up 7% from the prior year—and 118 cities represented among registrants. The course network will travel through four counties and 25 cities on about 143 unique road and trail miles. "We need over 600 volunteers to make this happen," Molly told the council, asking members to encourage residents and businesses to sign up via the event’s volunteer registration system and QR code. The ride includes options from a family‑focused 16‑mile route to a 100‑mile supported century route. Organizers said the event has raised more than $100,000 for the ICA food shelf since 2006 and that the volunteer and law‑enforcement support is essential for safety and traffic management. Molly also noted new executive director Kim Carlson is attending her first Tour de Tonka this year and organizers have produced twentieth‑anniversary merchandise and an archive booth for vendors. Organizers said some route consolidation reduced the number of different course options this year to help manage volunteer needs and law enforcement resources; they encouraged local businesses to sponsor rest stops to reach riders.
