TRIPS FOR KIDS WNC

Things are in full swing here at Trips For Kids WNC!   We have been slowly getting up to speed this year, starting in March with the Eblen Intermediate Bike Club.  In April we helped organize and promote our local edition of Take  A Kid Mountain Biking Day-Spring.  I was not able to attend do to a scheduling conflict. Instead, I was at Sandhill Venable School, helping with a bike safety rodeo.

Earlier this week, the first week in May, we led a trip with the AB-Tech early college program.  To finish out the week, and continuing through Monday, we are participating with Healthy  Buncombe and the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club to facilitate a bicycle safety rodeo for Owen Middle School.  We will be seeing close to 200 kids per day go through the program.

Thanks to I-9 for supporting us with a wheelset to raffle.  Congratulations to Marc Macnab for winning the wheelset!!

Coming up:

• Summer program scheduling is still in the works
• Mountain Sports Festival Used Gear Sale.  This is one of our biggest fundraisers and we need your help.  If you have used bikes, gear, clothing, parts etc to donate,  bring them by The Bicycle Thrift Shop at 89 Thompson St, Unit H,  or contact Stephen: stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com
• The Bicycle Thrift Shop will only be open Monday and Wednesday during June and July.  We have a lot of riding planned this summer and have to be careful not to overdo it!
• Ryan Sigsby continues to prep for his attempt at the Tour Divide.  He stopped by The Bicycle Thrift Shop for a visit last week and is only $790 short of his goal:  Click here

And as always you can support our efforts financially by clicking here.

That’s it for now,  have a great week!!

Racing The Divide For Kids
Ryan Sigsbey of Boone, North Carolina is living out his dream and riding the Great Divide Race this summer. Approximately 2700 miles from Canada to Mexico, self supported, by bicycle. Ryan will brave high mountain passes, grizzly country, river crossings, navigating through wilderness, and desert heat to accomplish his goal. But that is not all. Ryan decided to take it a step further and raise money and awareness for Trips For Kids WNC while he was at it. His goal is to raise $2000. Thanks Ryan!!  Click Here For Details.

I-9 Wheelset Raffle:

Click Here For Details.

2013 is rolling along with rides and events getting lined up.   There is a lot going on this year and I will update as we get more confirmation.  E-mail me at Stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com if you are available to help at any time!

Sunday March 10th: The Bicycle Thrift Shop will be open from 12-4pm-  Come on by!!

Starting Tues March 12 and each Tuesday through May 14th: Eblen Intermediate Bike Club-  3-5 pm

Starting Weds March 13 and each Wednesday through May 15th: Erwin Middle Bike Club 3-5pm

Saturday April 6th- Sandhill Bike Rodeo- 9am – 12pm

Saturday April 13th- YMCA Healthy Kids Day  9am- 1 pm (possibly a little later)

May 2,3 and 6  Owen Middle School-  time to be confirmed:  9am- 2pm (if you can only help for part of the day, we can work something out)

May 24-26  Mountain Sports Festival: Kid’s Races, Used Gear Sale

June  and July Summer Rides:  (Starting date TBD,  depending on snow days….)

Wednesdays-  Boys and Girls Club of Transyvania County

Thursdays- Children First: Project March

Fridays- I Have A Dream Foundation

I am also looking for an intern who is interested in helping develop/learn about running the Bicycle Thrift Shop and our ride program.   Contact Stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com for more info.

This is the first installment of the “Sponsor Spotlight”.  Through our program sponsorship program, at the bonus for the Gold Level Sponsors is that we post an overview about the company or organization and what they do in our community.

The Feb Sponsor is The Western North Carolina Bicycle Dealer’s Association.  5 local bike shops make up the organization: Liberty Bikes, Ski Country Sports,  Motion Makers, Youngblood Bicycles and Pro Bikes.

WNCBDA is a coalition of locally owned independent bicycle retailers. We work together to promote cycling through advocacy, education, and community support. WNCBDA also helps support other local non profit groups that make biking better in WNC.

Please help us supports these groups:

Blue Ridge Bicycle Club

Asheville on Bikes

Pisgah Area Sorba

Trips For Kids WNC

Thank you  WNCBDA and everyone involved, for helping to make our cycling community a better place!!

For more information on sponsorship opportunities for your company or organization, contact Stephen at stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com

Happy February,  things are moving along here in Western NC with some “winter storms” and warm days interspersed.  The weather here is “like a box of chocolates”…..

Last week I had the honor of taking 8 more bikes to give to the kids in the I Have A Dream Foundation.  We have partnered with this awesome organization for the past two years to provide mountain bike outings, and plan to continue into the future!

The Bicycle Thrift Shop is packed full of awesome gear and bikes at great prices.   Be sure to check in and see what deals you can find!

As usual, we would not be able to continue serving our community without your financial support.  Every little bit helps,  please help us by clicking here.

A special thanks for support from the Charles W Gaddy and Lucy Finch Gaddy Endowment Fund which is administered by the North Carolina Community Foundation.  We were surprised and excited to receive the support.

Have a great week!

Even though we don’t have any mountain bike outings during the winter months, we have been quite busy wrapping up year end reports and planning out the new year.  We have also been spending a large amount of time at The Bicycle Thrift Shop,  keeping good used bikes rolling out the door.

2012 has come and gone and looking back, we are very pleased with what we accomplished.

Some Highlights:

1. 1. 553 kids on bikes, 72 trips: B& G Club of Transylvania Co, IHAD, Children First, YMCA, Erwin/Eblen Bike Club, Francine Delaney, Kid Power
   1. Opened The Bicycle Thrift Shop
   2. Partnered with Asheville Cyclocross to provide racing opportunities to the cycling community with an emphasis on youth.
   3. Provided training for 2 ladies who successfully completed the Fletcher Flyer 100
   4. Partnered with Safe Routes to Schools
   5. Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day –Spring, partnered with Pisgah Area Sorba
   6. Presented at Ladies night at Liberty
   7. WNC Healthy Kids Day
   8. Motion Makers Women’s ride
   9. Mountain Sports Festival- used gear sale
   10. AVL Father’s Fest
   11. Bike Rodeos- Hillcrest, Haw Creek, Biltmore, Healthy Kids Day

2013  promises to be another big year and we are looking forward to serving out community again!!

And as always, we cannot reach the organization’s goal of “providing mountain bike outings to youth who would not otherwise have that opportunity” without your financial support.

Here is how you can help:

1. Donate Now
2. Sign up as a sponsor: $1000: for one year, we place your logo on our trip trailer, The Bicycle Thrift Shop wall, and web-site. $500- For one year, we place your logo on The Bicycle Thrift Shop wall and web-site.
3. Volunteer,  we have lots of opportunities to help out.  If you have experience working with kids, and/or working on bikes,  drop me a line and let me know how you can help: stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com

Thanks for all of your support,  see you on the trail!

Trips For Kids WNC and The Bicycle Thrift Shop will be closed Christmas Eve through Jan 5th for a much needed break.

See you on January 7th!

This weekend we will be at the UCI NC Grand Prix- Cyclocross Race at Jackson Park in Hendersonville for the Used Gear and Bike Sale.  We will have lots of gear, clothes, accessories and of course bikes.  Come check it out and tell your friends.

REI Gift Wrapping starts this Friday.  This is a great way to serve our community and spread the word about what our program offers.  We will be wrapping gifts in the evening from the 14th through the 24th.  There are still some slots open,  let me know if you can help out.

http://tripsforkidswnc.com/sponsors/

Trips For Kids WNC: Bicycle Thrift Shop and Programming

Sponsorship Opportunities

The goal of The Bicycle Thrift Shop is to provide a place where the community, with a focus on youth can learn bicycle maintenance and safety and to provide affordable bikes and gear to our community.  We do not intend to offer goods and services that compete with local bike shops, but rather fill a niche that will introduce cycling to community members who might not ordinarily enter a local bike shop.

The Shop will be taking donated bikes, parts and gear, re-furbishing the donations and selling them at an affordable cost to the community.  We also plan on offering structured youth bicycle mechanics classes in the near future.

100% of sponsorships will go towards funding The Shop as well as furthering the overall Trips For Kids WNC mission: Providing mountain bike outings to youth who otherwise would not have the opportunity to participate in such activities. ( At the end of this year we will have provided close to 1000 such opportunities).

Will you help us make this program and our ride program a success?

See below for our sponsorship options:

 Option #1: Gold Level -$1000  

By choosing this level, you will not only be helping us with a successful Shop program, but you will also be helping us support our ride program.  (We are currently involved in 3 weekly school bike programs).  We will place your logo in 3 prominent locations for 1 year: On the Trips For Kids WNC trailer, on The Shop Sponsor Wall, and on our website.  In addition, we will highlight your organization/company during the month of your choosing.  (12 available per year, first come first served,  you may purchase multiple months).

Option #2: Silver Level- $500

This level will cover the costs for one month.  We will place your logo, in a prominent location for 1 year: on The Shop Sponsorship Wall and website.  (no limit)

For other sponsorship options, or questions, please contact:

Stephen Janes- Director

828-777-1022

Stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com

Make Checks Payable To: 

Trips For Kids WNC

Send To:

33 Davidson Rd

Asheville NC  28803

For other Sponsorship Opportunities:

Contact Stephen:

stephen@tripsforkidswnc.com

828-777-1022