Tripping Up

Trips-for-KidsRaleigh Bicycles will be the new Trips for Kids International (TFK) North American program sponsor and will provide a fleet of bikes to emerging TFK chapters. TFK’s programs give underserved youth the opportunity to experience mountain biking while learning valuable life skills and an appreciation of the outdoors. The 50 new bikes donated by Raleigh will enable newly formed TFK regional chapters across North America to provide mountain bike outings for low income, at-risk youth in their communities.

“We created the Trips for Kids program model to help individual entrepreneurs, established community organizations, cycling clubs and other organizations streamline the formation of their own regional chapters,” said TFK Executive Director Marilyn Price. “A safe bike fleet is a critical and often costly component of forming a chapter. Thanks to Raleigh we can provide new bicycles as part of the start-up services we offer.”

Trips for Kids Official Website

Mad Idea for the Kids

We don’t think of AMC’s hit series Mad Men to be exactly something that could help kids get on bikes. The TV show about the dark side of the world of advertising has characters drinking, smoking and basically leading a life that is anything but healthy. But it is a stylish show, and while life may not have to imitate art – the art of the show can do something good.

Trips for Kids looks to benefit from the sale of a one-of-a-kind, Mad Men-inspired art that will be sold through an online auction running now until April 1. And 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale will benefit Trips for Kids. The art includes a replica the hit TV show logo made entirely of vintage license plates and was created by renowned license plate artist and former HGTV host, Aaron Foster. Press release after the jump

Re-Cycling Your Old Bike Gear

Trips for Kids website www.tripsforkids.org (credit: Charles Simpson Photography)

Cleaning out the old bicycle parts bin always seems to start as a simple task, but can often turn into quite a dilemma. What should be kept or pitched? What has value, and what might be worth the hassle of selling on eBay or Craigslist? What has no real monetary value, but is still a functioning part that could have some use? Even for the latter, there may be an option other than the trash can for those parts and bikes that are still good, but not worth the hassle of selling. In a word: donation.

Continue reading Re-Cycling Your Old Bike Gear

Giant Bikes Makes Giant Donation to Trips for Kids

This week Trip for Kids, which helps provide bicycles to at risk children, announced that Giant Bicycle USA recently made a giant sized donation that will help insure that around 200 mountain bike rides will be available for youngsters this summer. The product donation to Trips for Kids and Re-Cyclery actually required that staff flew to Los Angeles, rented a U-Haul truck and drove a number of the bikes and parts back to their San Rafael warehouse.

“Trips for Kids is one of the most important organizations that Giant supports,” said Patrick VanHorn, Corporate Communications Manager for Giant USA. “I lived in Marin County before I ever worked in the bicycle industry, and I’ve seen the great work TFK has done. To now be able to help continue Giant’s backing for the organization is really quite an honor.” Continue reading Giant Bikes Makes Giant Donation to Trips for Kids

Trips For Kids Founder Honored With Community Leadership Award

Last week the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) announced that has chosen Marilyn Price to receive a 2010 PCFSN Community Leadership Award. This award is given annually to individuals who improve the lives of individuals within their community by providing or enhancing opportunities to engage in sports, physical activities, fitness or nutrition-related programs. Marilyn Price, a longtime bicycle enthusiast founded Trips for Kids (TFK) in 1986, to help at-risk youth through mountain bike rides and Earn-a-Bike programs.

“It is our pleasure to present this award to Marilyn Price,” says Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. “Physical activity and good nutrition are important components of living a healthy lifestyle, and we are pleased to recognize individuals like Marilyn Price who are committed to making a difference and positively influencing the health of their communities.”

This year, the President’s Council presented the Community Leadership Award to 28 individuals across the country for making sports, physical activity, fitness, and nutrition-related programs available in their communities.

President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Official Website

Trips for Kids Official Website

The Kids of Red Team Are Alright With Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge

This week it was announced that the Trips for Kids (TFK) and its “Red Team” of supporters won the CLIF BAR 2 Mile Challenge, a nationwide, six-month long campaign to fight climate change by encouraging people to ride a bike instead of driving a car, especially for trips of two miles or less.

The friendly competition of young riders in the Clif Bar 2 Mille Challenge further resulted in Trips for Kids receiving a bonus grant of $25,000 following the initial grant of the same to each of the three non-profits that support the event. A portion of the awarded funds to Trips for Kids will go to chapters in good standing so as to purchase needed equipment and to create information sharing and program materials, while funds will also be used to create new TFK chapters. Continue reading The Kids of Red Team Are Alright With Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge