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Nonprofit wins $10,000 for biking program
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| Paul jones/marinscope Marin-based Trips for Kids was presented with a $10,000 check by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. From left, Sean Atha of Anthem Blue Cross, Trips for Kids founder Marilyn Price, youth participants and Governor’s Council Director Kenneth Rogers. |
By Paul Jones
Marinscope Newspapers
“Trips for Kids,” a San Rafael-based nonprofit, was awarded $10,000 Nov. 19 by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, a statewide nonprofit organization with members including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, football star Jerry Rice and skateboard celebrity Tony Hawk. The council is funded in part by the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation.
Executive Director for the Governor’s Council Kenneth Rogers said Trips for Kids’ model of supplying bike rides to kids, some 16,000 from 240 schools and youth service agencies in the Bay Area since 1988, was worthy of recognition.
“Our council has heard the prediction that this generation is the first in a long time to have a shorter lifespan than their parents, due to obesity,” Rogers said. “We hope these spotlight awards, which are sponsored by the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, can shine a light on what people are doing and encourage others to finds ways to help kids stay active. Trips for Kids won out of 124 nominations within the nonprofit category. We were most impressed by their use of bicycles to get kids active and improve their lives. These kids work on bikes to recycle them, and take rides in beautiful places. This is such a replicable model — it’s already been replicated nationally and internationally, and we’re hoping that will happen more.”
Founder Marilyn Price said the nonprofit had entered the contest without any though that it would win. “We applied for the award, but we were flabbergasted when we won. We didn’t know we’d been in the final three. They kept it a mystery. The prize money will go into a general fund to help pay for all of our expenses. Funding’s been more of a problem for nonprofits this year.”
Price said Trips for Kids relies on individual donations, corporations and foundations to provide trips for disadvantaged kids. But over 50 percent of the organization’s budget comes from its innovative combination of work and play. Bikes donated to the organization are repaired in a San Rafael shop, the Re-Cyclery, and sold to generate revenue.
“Our recycling operation in San Rafael is a little gold mine,” Price said.
Tim Harrington, the nonprofit’s treasurer, said the program also received donations from manufacturers such as Trek Bicycles. “We have a supply of bikes for our trips. Many of them are donated by the industry. These are brand-new bicycles for kids.”
For more information on Trips for Kids, go to tripsforkids.org. For more information on the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, go to calgovcouncil.org.
Executive Director for the Governor’s Council Kenneth Rogers said Trips for Kids’ model of supplying bike rides to kids, some 16,000 from 240 schools and youth service agencies in the Bay Area since 1988, was worthy of recognition.
“Our council has heard the prediction that this generation is the first in a long time to have a shorter lifespan than their parents, due to obesity,” Rogers said. “We hope these spotlight awards, which are sponsored by the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, can shine a light on what people are doing and encourage others to finds ways to help kids stay active. Trips for Kids won out of 124 nominations within the nonprofit category. We were most impressed by their use of bicycles to get kids active and improve their lives. These kids work on bikes to recycle them, and take rides in beautiful places. This is such a replicable model — it’s already been replicated nationally and internationally, and we’re hoping that will happen more.”
Founder Marilyn Price said the nonprofit had entered the contest without any though that it would win. “We applied for the award, but we were flabbergasted when we won. We didn’t know we’d been in the final three. They kept it a mystery. The prize money will go into a general fund to help pay for all of our expenses. Funding’s been more of a problem for nonprofits this year.”
Price said Trips for Kids relies on individual donations, corporations and foundations to provide trips for disadvantaged kids. But over 50 percent of the organization’s budget comes from its innovative combination of work and play. Bikes donated to the organization are repaired in a San Rafael shop, the Re-Cyclery, and sold to generate revenue.
“Our recycling operation in San Rafael is a little gold mine,” Price said.
Tim Harrington, the nonprofit’s treasurer, said the program also received donations from manufacturers such as Trek Bicycles. “We have a supply of bikes for our trips. Many of them are donated by the industry. These are brand-new bicycles for kids.”
For more information on Trips for Kids, go to tripsforkids.org. For more information on the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, go to calgovcouncil.org.
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