Working with Wish for Wheels and Bike Fort Collins, the Fort Collins cycling community and the Fort Collins community as a whole stepped up to provide PSD students with free bikes and helmets again this year. The community provided nearly 300 bikes for second graders at PSD’s five title one schools. By raising $14,718.69, the cycling community funded 98 bikes via the Team Challenge. The Poudre Sunrise Cyclists won the total bike challenge by funding 42.88 bikes. They also just barely edged out Team B.O.B. in the percentage of roster funding bikes competition with 70%. Thanks to everyone who supported the program again this year. Full results are below.
Team Challenge Results
| Team | Total $ | # Bikes | % Members |
| Bike Sports | $150.00 | 1.00 | 50% |
| Poudre Sunrise Cyclists | $6,432.70 | 42.88 | 70% |
| Fort Follies | $300.00 | 2.00 | 4% |
| FCCT | $2,950.30 | 19.67 | 20% |
| Rio Grande | $150.00 | 1.00 | 5% |
| Team BOB | $4,159.40 | 27.73 | 68% |
| Wolf Pack | $576.29 | 3.84 | |
| Total | $14,718.69 | 98.12 | 19% |
Via Bike Fort Collins
Earlier this fall, Bike Fort Collins announced another joint effort with fellow nonprofit and Denver-based, Wish for Wheels to bring a new bike and helmet to every second grader in each of Poudre School District’s (PSD) five (5) Title 1 schools. Now in its third year, Wish for Wheels FoCo met its goal to fund a bike and helmet for every second-grader at Bauder, Irish, Harris, Laurel and Putnam Elementary Schools last year and was looking to do the same thing again this year.
Well, we’re happy to report, through the continued and generous support of many of our last year sponsors, including YourGroupRide, VanMeveren Law Group, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Platte River Power Authority, Neenan Archistruction, Intel, New Belgium Brewery and Norris Design Group, plus new sponsors like Scheels, Water Pik, Inc., Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Real Estate Services, AllMed Healthcare Management, we were successful again and nearly 300 bikes were funded for the five schools.
Once again, the Fort Collins area cycling team/club community held a contest to see who could raise the most money and this year Poudre Sunrise Cyclists took home the prize–mostly bragging rights–for the most money raised. Poudre Sunrise Cyclists’ 60+ members funded over 40 bikes totaling nearly $6,400 and with all the cycling team/club communities combined efforts they were able to fund nearly 100 bikes and helmets.
This year looked a little different than last year, with the pandemic mostly behind us, we were able to bring, build and give bikes all on the same day with the help of over 80 volunteers. It was an ambitious undertaking, with two truckloads of bikes and helmets we split into two groups and were able to accomplish our goal before the schools’ closing bells rang. What kept us all going was the smiles and joy on all the students’ faces as they each received their new bike and helmet.
Thank you again to all the volunteers and sponsors who helped make this happen and look forward to having another successful year in 2023.
If you enjoy this content and appreciate the hustle that goes into YGR please consider supporting the site.
