Hello Friends & Family: It's that time! This June, David and I, along with our great Chicago friends Jill and Tony, are once again riding our bikes 100 miles in Le Tour de Shore’s Charity Bike Ride. For 20 years, this ride has supported Maywood Fine Arts’ vision: that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive through the arts. The mission of Maywood Fine Arts, a non-profit organization, is to provide affordable, quality arts and fitness education that will enrich and transform the lives of underserved children and their families in Maywood and surrounding Chicagoland communities.
The organization is amazing. The goal of MFA is to strengthen the community by combating drug activity, gang involvement, and teenage pregnancy. Providing healthy after-school and weekend activities encourages children to reach their full potenial through arts and fitness education. Specifically, children are taught self-discipline, teamwork, and respect for others as they study dance, tumbling, karate, drama, visual art, and music. Beyond arts and fitness instruction, MFA serves over 3,500 children through outreach programs that enrich and improve children’s health and well-being: Books Alive brings children’s literature to life through music and dance; Get Off the Street & On Your Feet (GOTS) is a unique youth leadership training and employment program; Classical Ballet for New Audiences is performed by Stairway dancers and guest artists for families who may not otherwise see these world famous pieces; and Fit and Fun Healthy Families is a comprehensive program that features a wide variety of fitness and nutrition offerings for both children and their parents. Whew!
This year is MFA's "20 for 20," celebrating 20 years of Le Tour de Shore bike ride by raising $20,000 for MFA!
Join me to ensure that every kid has the chance to dream their dreams and thrive at Maywood Fine Arts.
Any contribution is appreciated. I thank you, and the MFA kids thank you.
Best,
Beth
Le Tour de Shore 2024
It all started back in 2004 when, after a decade of traveling by car on family vacations in Union Pier, Michigan, close friends and average cyclists, Lois and Ernie Baumann, and Kay and Steve Coughlin, challenged each other to ditch their vehicles and ride their bicycles from Chicago to Union Pier. So, with scant maps and no cue sheet, in June of 2004, this baby boomer foursome embarked on an 80-mile, 2-day scenic adventure. Once done, they had added a thrilling accomplishment to the notch on their belts (as well as a permanent case of saddle-sore amnesia), and the Le Tour de Shore was born!
Since that inaugural ride in 2005, thousands of cyclists have enjoyed pedaling along the lakefront of Chicago, the Duneland trails of Indiana Dunes National Park, and biking through Michigan Harbor Country. In 2023 alone, over 600 cyclists participated in Le Tour de Shore.
This year, on its 20th anniversary, we plan to make Le Tour de Shore the biggest and best ride to date! This ride will not only give you an unforgettable experience but will benefit an organization that makes a difference in the lives of thousands of children each year.
So what are you waiting for?! Get those tires pumped and let’s go for it! Let’s ride for Maywood Fine Arts!
Why We Ride!
Mission: Maywood Fine Arts provides affordable quality arts and fitness education for children and families in Maywood and surrounding communities to enrich and transform their lives.
Vision: Every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive through the arts.
Our Story: We are passionate about the transformational power of the creative experience and its ability to expand a child’s worldview, to give them agency as well as the ability to express themselves with confidence and joy. MFA has struck a unique balance between artistic excellence in the education and experiences we offer with a welcoming acceptance to all who want to join. We are dedicated to serving our community through this lens.
Through grassroots efforts, we transformed a boarded-up bank building in downtown Maywood into a vibrant place where fine arts activity could flourish. After nearly three decades, MFA continues to improve its surroundings with a state-of-the-art Dance and Fitness Studio as well as a historic Fine Arts building that provide safe, welcoming spaces for children and bring pride of place to Maywood.
See us in action on Facebook and Instagram