Seattle’s 11th Cranksgiving is going to be very different than the previous 10, but the goal is as important as ever. You will have multiple days Thanksgiving week to complete a scavenger hunt by bike that is more creative than any we’ve had before, and we will work together to support Rainier Valley Food Bank financially.

Cancelling Thanksgiving plans with people we love is very hard, but it’s the right thing to do to help prevent a truly devastating spread of COVID-19. In that spirit, we hope we can help fill some of the gap with some biking fun for a good cause.

A week ago, we scrapped our original plan for a socially distant food donation Cranksgiving event. We just did not feel comfortable adding extra trips to grocery stores at this time, which will be busy and operating at limited capacity due to new state rules. Instead, we have developed a new event focused on raising funds for Rainier Valley Food Bank directly and showcasing ways you can use your bike to be part of the Seattle Pedaling Relief Project’s ongoing community-supporting volunteer work, all while biking around town completing fun and creative scavenger hunt tasks.

We hope to showcase your smiles and capture some of that Cranksgiving good will during this tough year that just refuses to ease up. We are still here for each other even if we can’t get together like we used to.

In addition to buying groceries and necessities to stock their shelves, Rainier Valley Food Bank has many other costs that food donations alone can’t cover. This outbreak is stretching so many vital services thin. Donating may not feel the same as dropping off full panniers at their front door, but it’s just as needed. So if you can, we will be asking that you take whatever you would have spent at food sellers during Cranksgiving and donate it directly.

Together we donated a record metric tonne of food in 2019 worth a minimum of $3,712.41. So let’s raise at least that much this year.

The scavenger hunt manifest and donation page will go live Monday, so come back to Seattle Bike Blog then to start playing. We will also host an online after party with a fun twist. Stay tuned for details. And thank you all for all you do.