John Benenate

As Auld Lang Syne prepares for rest I hoped to take a moment to say thank you on
behalf of my team and the Kids of b.i.k.e.

We started the year blessed with a stationwagon car donated by Brady Brady.
Then b.i.k.e. received a gift from the OBRA Board and a mandate to find more
kids.

We used the money to introduce some new kids to racing including:
Sunny Chiago
Esteban Vasquez
Keegan O'Neil
Devin Morago
and
Maya and Gillian Bergmann,
as well fostered the reemergence of
Ms. Isabel Ford

b.i.k.e. used some to keep
Marquel Brown, Dey Shaun Lee and NaiqwanPellman venturing out into the woods on
Mountain Bikes.
Greg O'Brien did the driving and wrenching on dirt bikes donated by Brady Brady.

We want to thank David Guettler for putting SPD Pedals, shoes and Cleats on
everyone's feet.
Dave G. also worked Esteban and Dey Shaun into "intern" positions at his shop
where they would later earn cyclocross bikes.
The staff at River City worked together donating parts to build up a cyclocross
frame handbuilt and donated by Chris Igleheart to the Kids of b.i.k.e.

Danny Knudsen and The Bicycle Attorneys did a wonderful job souping up Sunny
Chiago's old school Cannondale road bike just in the nick of time as the 14 year
old Sunny Chiago was getting his head right for the scary new world of PIR Cat
4/5 Men.

Lori Bocklund and Mike Mulligan of Portland Velo donated so many cool cycling
clothes, that I can't imagine they have any left.
If you are out in West Plains and see a naked couple riding strong, that's them.

We want to thank Flo Leibowitz for her and her husband's kindness setting us up
with a veritable size run of smaller frames, the latest of which is being built
up to introduce a 13 year old young man named Kent. Kent Ross already climbs to
Skyline now (partially pushed by Jake Hansen) on his roadified mountain bike.

Without the hours of homework help, mechanic-ing , transportation, recognition,
interest, and friendship from adults in the peloton, as well as the adults on my
team, the experience of the Kids of Bicycles and Ideas for Kids' Empowerment
2010 would not have been a success.

But thanks to folks like you, these children love cycling, and their bikes will
always be a part of them.

We hope your spirit and vision may continue to support projects that reach out
and welcome new cyclists to the sport.

Happy New Year OBRA.

John Benenate
Directeur Sportif
Cyclisme Racing Programs
b.i.k.e.