Wish For Wheels FoCo Team Challenge
I’m stoked to be pumped to announce that YGR has again partnered with Bike Fort Collins and Wish for Wheels to provide Fort Collins second-graders in need with free bikes for the current school year. Last year the NoCo community provided over 300 local 2nd graders within PSD’s Title 1 elementary schools with brand new bikes and helmets (260 in 2020). 107 of those bikes came from the NoCo cycling community (76 in 2020) via the Team Challenge. The challenge portion of the event was so popular and so successful that we’ve been asked to do it again for the 3rd year and we’re hoping to clear 400 total with 150 coming from local teams. This year we’ve added an Unaffiliated category for those of you who are rolling unattached.
All you have to do is make a donation or purchase an entire bike and your team will receive credit. What will the winning team get? Beer, bragging rights and of course the warm fuzzy feeling for doing something super awesome.
- The Roster Percentage Participation Competition is based on how many bikes are donated vs the total number of team members. Not the total number of bikes donated; see below. IE: if a team of 6 buys bikes, they’d be sitting at 100% participation and would actually beat a team of 100 that funds 35 bikes.
- The Total Bikes Competition is just like it sounds; the team with the most bikes donated wins.
- If the Unaffiliated crew wins the Total Bikes Competition, everyone that donated will get a free beer at the final Send Town Cyclocross race of the season on October 25th.
More than ever kids need a physical activity that is socially distant, community-focused and can include their families. Kids today are out of routine, and bikes have shown to improve attention spans, grades and reduced truancy (as built in transportation). The attached information sheet also highlights why these kids need bikes, and especially why they need them now (under the current circumstances).
More info:
- Each bike/helmet combination costs $150. (All 100% tax-deductible).
- This year we’ll be building and awarding the bikes at the schools on Oct 12th. If you’re available, we’d love to have your help. Please hit the link below for more information.
If you donate be sure to:
- Make note that you’re affiliated (or not affiliated) with your team, club or org in the section provided.
- FaceTweetGram that you made the donation and talk trash to the other NoCo teams/riders/orgs. See the funding page on Bike Fort Collins for FB and IG images to use.
Wish for Wheels FoCo Press Release
September 20, 2022 — FORT COLLINS, CO – This fall, Bike Fort Collins, in partnership with peer organization, Wish For Wheels, has a goal to bring a new bike and helmet to every second-grader in Poudre School District’s Title 1 schools as part of the 3rd Annual Wish for Wheels FoCo program, and the community’s support is needed to make it happen. Each new bike and helmet has a program cost of $150 and can be funded individually, or by businesses or organizations at any quantity. Funding 25-bikes enables a donor to sponsor an entire second grade class, while a 65-bike commitment sponsors and funds an entire school. The bikes often last each second-grader for up to 3-years of use before growing out of them.
The two partner nonprofits, in conjunction with the continued support from one of the founding program sponsors, YourGroupRide.com, are seeking partners to help fund and deliver over 300 bikes and helmets to every second-grader at Bauder, Irish, Harris, Laurel and Putnam Elementary Schools. The assembly and delivery of the bikes to the second-graders will take place on October 12, commencing with an a session to assemble bikes first thing in the morning at Bauder Elementary School. This will be paralleled by a similar assembly session at Putnam Elementary School, followed by giving the bikes away.
Businesses interested in funding bikes should contact Dave Dixon at dave.dixon@bikefortcollins.org, while the broader community can also support individually by funding bikes at www.bikefortcollins.org/wish-for-wheels-foco. We want to especially thank the following businesses who have and continue to sponsor the program at a level that supports an entire second-grade class: New Belgium Brewing Company, Waterpik, Poudre River Power Authority, Van Meveren Law Group, Intel, and Neenan Archistruction, while Cushman & Wakefield and Norris Design are each supporting with ten or more bikes.
In addition to sponsorship support, YourGroupRide.com is leading a Team Challenge, which is a contest among area bike teams and clubs to see which organization can fund the most bikes. The victor will join first-year winner, Team BOB and last year’s winners, Poudre Sunrise Cyclists and RSD Racing. “Last year the local cycling-team and club community rallied to support over 100 bikes and helmets. We’re excited to continue the contest this year and are optimistic we can set a new bar and exceed the record number of bikes from 2021,” said Dan Porter, Founder of YourGroupRide.com. “We invite and encourage the broader community to join the effort and donate to fund bikes and helmets as well.”
“We couldn’t be more excited and appreciative of how this program has been received by not only the community in its support of funding bikes, but the schools, from the principals, to teachers, to—of course—the students,” added Dave Dixon of Bike Fort Collins. “We believe that the earlier we can introduce kids to bicycling, the higher the probability of them honing not just a life skill, but establishing a lifelong habit.” Dixon continued.
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About Bike Fort Collins
Located in one of the most bike friendly cities in the country, Bike Fort Collins (BFC) is a growing bicycle advocacy and active transportation 501(c)(3), delivering on four primary programs, as well as a number of other advocacy initiatives and events. These programs include: Safe Routes to School (a partnership with the City of Fort Collins to deliver bike safety education to Poudre School District students), the Bicycle Friendly Business Network, support of Fort Collins Bike Share program, and its Active Living initiative to promote inclusion and access to active transportation in marginalized and distressed communities in Northern Colorado. To learn more, visit www.bikefortcollins.org, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.
About Wish For Wheels
Based in Denver, Wish for Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that gives brand new bicycles and helmets to second-graders in low income, Title 1 schools. Founded in 2004, their first giveaway made it clear that the bikes bring health and happiness into kids’ lives. Their unique model bundles corporate philanthropy, team building, and employee engagements through bike build/assembly events, to deliver brand new bikes and helmets to second-graders in the community. To learn more, visit www.wishforwheels.org.
About YourGroupRide.com
YourGroupRide.com (aka YGR) is a cycling news website based in Fort Collins, CO that unites the Northern Colorado cycling scene by keeping riders informed about the latest news, rides, races and other events. YGR conducts local rider interviews, local cyclist bike reviews and other features such as 10 Tracks and Gear Reviews. Behind the scenes, they work with Bike Fort Collins, Overland Mountain Bike Association and FC Moves/FC Bikes on advocacy initiatives to make Fort Collins an even better and safer place to ride. With the support of local businesses, they’ve been covering the NoCo cycling scene since 2009. Visit www.yourgroupride.com, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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