This year, the Tosa East chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society is participating in the UPAF Ride for the Arts, a fundraising event aimed at getting members of the community active. This unique event offers opportunities for participants to raise money for performing arts programs in Wisconsin, as well as getting on their bikes and supporting their community.

The United Performing Arts Fund is a nonprofit organization providing funding and support for performing arts programs across Eastern Wisconsin. Some of their 14 member groups include First Stage, Florentine Opera Company, Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

The Tri-M Music Honor Society has only been at Tosa East for two years, but the Society already has an impressive 72 members.

This is the Society’s first year being involved with the event, but hopefully not the last. According to Tri-M advisor Michael Hayden, “The Tri-M riding team is very loose this year; [we’re] basically a community of people that riding under the same name.”

In the future, Tri-M is hoping to expand their team and to be able to have a more organized team. While the team did not meet their goal of 40 riders, the current Tri-M riding team consists of 19 riders who are excited to participate in this year’s unexampled event.

“The big difference [in the event] this year is that riders have the option to choose their own route and choose their own weekend,” explains Hayden. “This provides a greater fundraising opportunity, as well as allowing for the community to get out and be active in a way that’s safe.”

This year always offers the return of “swag packs” that registered riders receive, including an event T-shirt, bike bib, and rider handbook.

Tri-M members who participate in Ride for the Arts receive one credit out of the two that are required per semester. Some ways the students were able to fulfill requirements this year include watching a musical or play, attending a concert, performing a solo, and many more.

Other requirements that members have to fulfill are attending all meetings, as well as paying the annual membership dues, which pay for T-shirts and graduation materials for seniors.