Rotary Wheel Makes Bicycles Roll
In a bold move to stimulate mountain biking opportunities for the region’s youth, the Mt. Shasta Rotary Foundation donated $5,000 last week to jump-start a new program with the purchase of mountain bikes, helmets and support for youth cycling and training programs on Mount Shasta.
It is the first grant awarded to the Siskiyou Outdoor Recreation Alliance (SORA), which hopes to eventually raise enough money to buy 20 loaner mountain bikes available to youth in a series of new cycling programs. The program aims to serve youngsters from elementary school through high school.
“The goal is to get youth on mountain bikes for health and fitness, and for them to learn riding skills from top-shelf instructors,” said Justi Hansen of SORA, who presented her vision of the new program to Mt. Shasta Rotary at its weekly meeting earlier this year.
“We’re working to buy quality mountain bikes at a reasonable cost,” said Hansen, who added that the price point could be around $700 per bike. In a cooperative venture, Hansen said she is teaming up with local outdoors store, the Fifth Season, to purchase mountain bikes for next year’s riding season.
Rotary’s Michael Rodriguez brought the grant request to the Rotary Foundation and its president, MerleAnderson. The Foundation Board then unanimously approved the request.
“The proposal is in the spirit of other recent Rotary campaigns aimed at engaging youth in the outdoors, fitness and science,” said Tom Stienstra, presidentelect for Mt. Shasta Rotary. A sampling of those projects includes the Lake Siskiyou Trout Pens and Youth Fishing Day, supporting the Gateway Trail, Garden Greenway and annual Dictionary giveaway (to the region’s 3rd graders).
According to Hansen, the mountain bikes will become part of a fleet in the “Community Equipment Lending Library.” SORA already loans equipment for adaptive ski equipment, snowshoes and cross-country skis.
In future years, the end results will benefit thousands of youngsters and their families:
• Improve access to outdoor recreation activities for youth
• Diversify and maximize the number of school age kids that engage in outdoor recreation
• Equipment loaners will have a range of sizes to serve youth from elementary to high school ages Mt. Shasta Rotary meets weekly and can be reached at mtshastarotary@ gmail.com. Follow Mt. Shasta Rotary at www.mtshastarotary. org and @mtshastarotary.
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