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Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder Receives Challenge Grant of $10,000
Trips for Kids National lends a helping hand after Denver/Boulder Chapter
Executive Director suffers mountain bike accident
DENVER – August 18, 2011- A $10,000 Challenge Grant was announced for the Trips for Kids™ Denver/Boulder (TFK D/B) chapter as tribute to local Executive Director Andrew Goodwillie who sustained a serious head trauma while mountain biking. Trips for Kids National is contributing the grant to provide support while Goodwillie recovers.
TFK D/B provides mountain biking and environmental awareness programs to underserved youth. On July 30, Goodwillie was riding in the top five of a mountain bike race when he crashed, was airlifted to Denver Health and admitted to the ICU. Within 24-hours of the accident he was already showing his strength and determination to recover and has made steady progress each day.
While Goodwillie is focused on the long recovery ahead, he remains committed to keeping the Trips for Kids chapter going and making sure that underserved kids get to experience mountain bike adventures. Trips for Kids National is supporting Goodwillie’s recovery and Trips for Kids™ Denver/Boulder with a generous challenge grant of $10,000.
“We are incredibly grateful for this support and will continue taking kids on mountain bike adventures and provide them with exciting opportunities to experience their environment and build self-confidence,” said Andy Brannon, Program Manager, TFK D/B.
Brannon will lead more than 40 youth on four mountain bike rides this week alone in the foothills of Jefferson County and Boulder. TFK D/B staff and volunteers take over 1,000 kids on mountain bike rides through Colorado’s mountains each year. The organization expects to meet or exceed those numbers this year and leverage this challenge grant to sustain its signature ride program and to continue building the winter Earn-A-Bike club.
“We have been truly overwhelmed by the wonderful outpouring of support from friends and family and it is so important to us that Trips for Kids will continue to thrive and grow while Andrew is concentrating on his recovery,” said Catherine Goodwillie, Andrew’s wife and TFK D/B board member. “Trips for Kids National’s amazing $10,000 challenge grant will provide critical funding to maintain and develop TFK D/B’s programs. Andrew will keep working until he is out riding with the kids again.”
About Trips for Kids
Trips for Kids™ National is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Marin County, California. Trips for Kids™ (TFK) started in 1988 as a grass roots effort by avid mountain biker, environmentalist, and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee, Marilyn Price. TFK programs give underserved youth a chance to experience the joy and challenge of mountain biking, while learning valuable life skills and an appreciation for the outdoors. There are currently 75 Trips for Kids™ chapters across the United States, Israel and Canada, with more on the way. For more information, visit www.tripsforkids.org or call Marilyn Price at 415.458.2986.
Trips for Kids™ Denver/Boulder (TFKD/B) is a non-profit organization that provides cycling based programs that build health and boost the confidence of underserved urban youth. Participants are exposed to a positive, fun outdoor experience, while being taught valuable lessons about healthy life-choices, environmental awareness and creating positive self esteem. By partnering with numerous youth agencies in Metro Denver and Boulder, TFKD/B strives to make an unquestionable difference in the lives of children by opening their minds to new possibilities beyond the scope of their current setting. TFKD/B is organized under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Contributions are 100% tax deductible. For additional information, visit http://www.tripsforkidsdenver.org .
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Marilyn Price, Trips for Kids™, 415.458.2986, info@tripsforkids.org, or
Chip Smith, SOAR Communications, 801.523.3730(wk) / 801.597.7515(cell), csmith@soarcomm.com
2010-11 TFK Denver/Boulder Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trips for Kids National Recognizes Companies That Recommit for 2011
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - February 9, 2011- As Trips for Kids National (TFK) gears up for another growth-filled year, the organization wishes to recognize the bike industry leaders that have re-committed to the nonprofit organization in 2011.
This year's supporters include:
Adventure Medical Kits - The world leader in developing innovative first aid and outdoor survival products that help people enjoy safe outdoor adventures;
Clif Bar - Leading maker of all-natural and organic foods and drinks, including the organic certified CLIF® BAR energy bar, delivering Nutrition for Sustained Energy®, and LUNA®, The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women®;
Park Tools - The #1 brand of bicycle tools in the world;
Planet Bike - Designer of high quality bicycle accessories that make it easier and safer for people to ride their bikes; and
Trek - A global leader in the design and manufacture of bicycles and related products, Trek believes the bicycle can be a simple solution to many of the world's most complex problems, and is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent people from using bicycles more often.
Each of these company's monetary contributions go towards providing support to existing chapters and purchasing needed items for new chapter Start Up Kits.
"The bikes, tools and other essentials that TFK Start Up Kits provide give our 70 chapters the opportunity to take a dream and make it into an operating chapter," said Marilyn Price, Trips for Kids founder. "The enthusiasm and confidence the much needed resources bring our local chapters takes me back to emotions I felt when I received the first donation of bikes for the Marin chapter more than 24 years ago."
Since its inception in 1988, more than 75,000 youth have had an opportunity to participate in a TFK youth programs in chapters spread as far as Northern California to New England. Each of the nonprofit's 70 chapters is designed to meet the needs of the individual community, offering lessons in confidence building, achievement and environmental awareness.
About Trips for Kids
Trips for Kids (www.tripsforkids.org) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization based in Marin County, California. With 70 chapters operating in the United States, Canada and Israel, Trips for Kids opens the world of cycling to at-risk youth through mountain bike rides and Earn-a-Bike programs. TFK rides are the "vehicle" through which the kids gain confidence, skills, and an appreciation for nature. TFK's after-school Earn-a-Bike and job training programs teach kids how to build and repair bikes, while they learn the values of responsibility, patience, and hard work.
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Media Contacts
Chip Smith, SOAR Communications, 801.656.0472 x 1, csmith@soarcomm.com, or
Marilyn Price, Trips for Kids, 415.458.2986, national@tripsforkids.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE NORTH FACE EXPLORE FUND AWARDS GRANT TO TRIPS FOR KIDS DENVER/BOULDER
Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder is one of the first initiatives supported by
a national effort to increase outdoor participation
DENVER, CO – October 14, 2010 – The North Face has awarded a $2,500 grant to Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder (TFKD/B) to help underserved children explore the outdoors and experience the joys of mountain biking. TFKD/B was selected from hundreds of applications because of the organization’s mission to provide mountain bike outings and environmental education to underserved, urban youth who would not otherwise be exposed to such activities. The grant is part of the inaugural commitment of $250,000 from The North Face Explore Fund, enabling more than 100 programs that will affect an estimated 85,000 young people.
“There are too many children in Metro Denver who have limited opportunities to visit the amazing wild places in Colorado. We are delighted to have the support of The North Face to ensure, again next year, more than 1,000 youngsters have the chance to experience Colorado like I, and so many outdoor enthusiasts in our community do, actively exploring the natural beauty of our state via mountain bike,” said Andrew Goodwillie, TFKD/B Executive Director, when he learned of the Explore Fund grant award.
The TFKD/B was established in 2001 to give underserved children in Metro Denver the opportunity to access the outdoors, learn first-hand about the natural world, while enjoying the fun, physically challenging sport of mountain biking. Earlier this month the organization celebrated, “1K Day”, the day TFK’s youth mountain biking program crossed the 1,000 youth participant milestone for the year. Since it’s founding, the program has completed over 575 fun and educational, daylong and after school mountain bike outings with nearly 4,000 youth participants. About 40% of TFKD/B novice riders, in any given year, are in residential programs for abused, neglected, or homeless youth. The remaining 60% of riders are involved in after school, summer programs for at-risk and low-income youth or attend a TFKD/B partner school.
“Our goal is to enable more people to get outside and explore their world in ways that are meaningful to them,” said Steve Rendle, President of The North Face. “We’re very proud to launch the Explore Fund and support Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder and the other impressive organizations that are making outdoor exploration possible, and a priority, in communities across the country.”
TFKD/B’s youth mountain biking program is nearing the end of 2010 season but will launch in March of 2011. TFKD/B is always in need of adult volunteers to assist with rides and in many other capacities year-round. To learn more about Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder’s Youth Mountain Biking Program visit www.tripsforkidsdenver.org. To learn more about all of the Explore Fund grantees and to keep up on their progress visit www.planetexplore.com and www.twitter.com/tfkdenver.
About Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder
Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder (TFKD/B) is a non-profit organization that provides cycling based programs that build health and boost the confidence of underserved urban youth. Participants are exposed to a positive, fun outdoor experience, while being taught valuable lessons about healthy life-choices, environmental awareness and creating positive self esteem. By partnering with numerous youth agencies in Metro Denver and Boulder, TFKD/B strives to make an unquestionable difference in the lives of children by opening their minds to new possibilities beyond the scope of their current setting. TFKD/B is organized under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Contributions are 100% tax deductible. For additional information, visit www.tripsforkidsdenver.org.
About The North Face Explore Fund
The North Face® Explore FundTM is a grant program committed to supporting nonprofit, community organizations that break down the barriers preventing children and families from experiencing the outdoors. The Explore Fund, administered by The Outdoor Foundation, finds, engages and provides funding for new partners that help further the mission of inspiring the next generation of explorers and conservationists by helping them discover nature's playground.
About PlanetExplore
PlanetExplore is an online community founded by The North Face, powered by partner organizations that share a passion for the outdoors, and designed to help individuals and families learn about and participate in outdoor activities and events in their area. PlanetExplore is a portal to the outdoors designed to inspire and enable people of all ages to become regularly active outside, and to enjoy the benefits gained through a connection to nature.
For more information, please visit our websites:
The Explore Fund www.explorefund.com
Planet Explore www.planetexplore.com
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TFK Boulder Launch PR
posted on April 30th, 2010 at 9:51amTrips for Kids Boulder to Host Launch Party to Help Raise Funds for Disadvantaged Youth TFKB to connect underserved youth to cycling and the outdoors Boulder, CO (Vocus) March 29, 2010 -- Trips for Kids Boulder (TFKB) will kick-off its activities by hosting a launch party on April 10th from 6 pm to 10 pm at Boulder Indoor Cycling located at 3550 Frontier Ave. TFKB’s launch event will raise funds… read more
