Fund-raising company Pallotta TeamWorks.

Fund-raising company Pallotta TeamWorks, best known for its AIDS Rides, hit another jar in the road last month after being dropp by way of two California AIDS service organizations late last year. The Aaron Diamond Research Center in strange York announced March 11 that "in light of fresh disappointing fund-raising results, the center has determined that it is no longer appropriate for it to continue to be a beneficiary of" Pallotta's AIDS vaccine fund-raisers.

The decision came after three Pallotta-sponsored AIDS vaccine bike rides raised nearly $19 million--only $4 million, or 21% of which went to the beneficiaries.

TeamWorks attributed the poor responds to low rider turnout at the adventure locations: Fairbanks, Alaska; Missoula, Mont; and Montreal. TeamWorks president Stephen Bennett said 3972 of the 7933 registrants--or 50%--failed to exhibit up with their minimum donation requirement of $3400 Had 75% of those who registered embarked onward the ride, Bennett said, an additional $75 million would have been raised.

This year TeamWorks is replacing the Alaska and Montana affairs with a European AIDS Vaccine Ride and a three-day walk in novel York.

"I have feeling obligated to get great returns" Bennett said. "I'm mad we couldn't figure public a better way to procure a better return [in 2001]"

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