Cotatitarod is a volunteer driven, community focused event. All of the organizers and team leads are volunteers, and 100% of the registration fees are used to cover event expenses. This event is made possible by donations and sponsorship, and we are acting as a third party benefit for the Redwood Empire Food Bank to allow for tax-deductible donations from businesses and individuals. In 2017, we had five racer teams and donated over four hundred pounds of food to the Redwood Empire Food Bank. In 2018, there were seven teams racing, and we gathered over a thousand pounds of food to donate, just over half a ton.
In our first year we ran at a deficit, which was absorbed by the volunteers running the event. The second year we were able to break even, and the event paid for itself. Our goal in 2019 is to continue to gather enough funds so the event is sustainable. If we are able to gather more funds than needed to produce the event we will donate all additional proceeds to the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Our goal for the future is to emulate the fundraising model and grant program they have in Chicago for the CHIditarod.
There is no charge to the public to attend this event. Racers pay a registration fee to enter that works out to twenty dollars per person. Teams register in advance to ensure a complete understanding of the rules and requirements involved. There are no registrations allowed the day of the event. The race consists of a team of five persons and one shopping cart. One person drives the cart while the other four act as sled dogs, towing the empty shopping cart along the route. They are allowed to switch off and encouraged to dress up in costume and decorate their shopping carts. Teams must bring at least 60lbs of food donations, collected before the race during check-in.
Volunteers on bikes wearing reflective vests act as Bike Marshals keeping racers on the route and out of traffic. We have Flaggers helping racers navigate busy road crossings. Volunteers at each local business acting as a checkpoint along the route facilitate shopping cart parking while racer teams compete in contests. Racer teams must hit all checkpoints in order to be eligible for prizes, and are required to spend at least 15 minutes at each location.
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model this event after the wildly successful CHIditarod held annually on the first Saturday in March in Chicago. They graciously offer a template for others to create similar events in their towns. Many of our rules and guidelines come from their website. Kelly Walton, a North Bay Regional Contact for Burning Man, was inspired to do this event after seeing the CHIditarod founders present at a conference. Many of the volunteers and Cotatitarod organizers attend Burning Man, and are active in the North Bay Burners regional community. Although this is not an official regional event we endeavor to embody as many of the Ten Principles as possible, and invite anyone participating to become familiar with that underlying philosophy.
Want to know more about how it all started? Read about the history of the event.