It is less than a year since my parents passed away within one week of each other. I dedicated my ride last year to them and am doing so again this year. My mother Becky was a consummate teacher of students who needed a second chance, many of the young parents who had been abused and forgotten by the mainstream education system. My father Hank was a jack-of-all-trades and sought after handyman around the Anchorage community, To paraphrase Jeff Spicoli (of Fast Times at Ridgemont High fame), “He had an awesome set of tools. I can fix it.”)
Together they instilled in me many of the values I bring to my continued efforts to make sure Phoenix Bikes is sustainable, and on a solid foundation. We have met our goals from previous rides to secure them a new home, and to purchase a new van. Now we are working for that life-blood or any nonprofit organization: unrestricted money from a diverse group of donors.
So please join me as I ride to support Phoenix Bikes, a nonprofit organization in Arlington, VA with a mission to educate youth, promote bicycling, and build community. They serve over 500 teens annually with youth bicycle education programs offered for FREE, year-round and they need funding to sustain and grow their programs. I'll be riding 100-miles on August 10 to raise funds to keep Phoenix Bikes rolling.
I give a lot of my own time and money to this organization each year, and have managed to get my parents a permanent memorial inside. Please help me honor them again, and help me reach my goal by donating today!
Henry
"Sizzling Suburban Century" - 6th Annual Kennan Garvey Memorial Ride benefiting Phoenix Bikes
Join us on August 10 for the 6th Annual Kennan Garvey Memorial Ride – a “Sizzling Suburban Century” benefiting Phoenix Bikes! The course is open to all ages and experience levels, and extends out and back along the entire length of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, with shorter 15-, 40-, 60- & 90-mile options. The entry fee is $25. Registered Phoenix Bikes youth receive complimentary ride entry. Riders are asked to fundraise a minimum amount of $200 (for ages 18+) or $100 (for ages 17 and under), with a suggested fundraising goal of $500 per rider. All riders who pre-register (before online registration closes at 5pm on August 3) will receive a FREE shirt and boxed lunch. All those who meet or exceed the fundraising minimum goal for their age will be entered for chances to win prizes. PLUS, all those who raise $500 or more will be entered for a chance to win our special grand prize!
The mission of Phoenix Bikes is harnessing the power of bikes to help youth build passion, purpose, and a place in the community. We are an Arlington nonprofit that uniquely combines youth educational programs with a full-service professional bike shop and retail store. Since our launch, we have had the opportunity to engage thousands of teens, with over 900 earning their own bikes so far. Local youth, ages 12 to 17, are invited to participate in bike refurbishment and retail operations as they contribute to the daily operations of the Phoenix Bikes shop located in South Arlington, VA. Through these experiences, our students are not only given the opportunity to learn technical mechanical skills and put in hard work, but also develop their problem solving abilities and gain self confidence.