River Valley Junior Cycling: My Site News

We are a unique new youth club and looking for some help in the form of time, talent, or treasure (donations/sponsorship). We are looking for community involvement with our junior development cycling program that will be south of the river in Minnesota. USA Cycling Sanctioned Events occur in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Burnsville and Eden Prairie. We will also be participating in non-competitive rides including: Jordan Valley Bike Tour, Minnesota Ironman, St. Paul Classic, Jesse James, Tour De Cure. These rides range from 20 to 100 miles in length.

• Cycling (bicycling) is a growing sport in the US. Publicity at events is not fully tapped. For instance the Minnesota Ironman in Lakeville draws over 5,000 riders and rides through Lakeville, Prior Lake, and Jordan.
• Cycling is a unique sport that offers many events: Road events, criteriums, time trials, track, CycloCross, numerous non-competitive rides and Mountain Biking. 
• USA Cycling already has a platform of State, Region and National races for juniors.
• Youth have too few sport competitive alternatives. Competition for gym or field time is fierce. Cycling allows a wide range of areas to use for training.
• Builds individual and group skills while seeing accomplishments. A 15 year old has done a 45 mile ride this year.  How about starting the year at an average speed of 12 mph and ending the year with a 30 mile ride at 18 mph average?
• Cycling is a life long sport.

• Currently we have 3 committed youth with contacts forming in local schools, home schooling groups, fitness clubs and other competitive and non-competitive bike clubs.
• We will ride the 30 mile Ironman event in April of 2008 as a club fundraiser through an individual letter writing campaign to earn monies toward bike purchases. (15% going to club fees)
• We will work with sponsors to promote them as much as possible by wearing logo attire to the event and after the events. With early commitment we will place logo on team jerseys being designed.
• We are delaying all fees until Jan 2008 to avoid duplicate yearly fees renewal and time to get non-profit status 501 (c) (3).
• We are inquiring about becoming a satellite of an existing juniors club to eliminate start up costs.
• Established a website that has capacity to grow and manage our needs in supporting our sponsors, online registration, fundraising, communication, and monitor performance. www.eteamz.active.com/RVJC

• Time/Talent:
  • Your consideration is appreciated
  • Multiple coaching opportunities as small or large roles or a desire to work alongside a cycling team?
  • Are you an instructor of CPR, First Aid, First Responder?
  • Do you have skills in bicycle maintenance or assembly?
  • Do you have any desire to help with the organizational side of legal, insurance, registrations, or interest in becoming part of the board?
  • Are you an artist? We have need for Jersey Design?
• Treasure (Donations)
  • All Donations levels are welcome!
  • The top two business sponsors will be placed on the Team Jersey.
  • Individual donors will be listed on our website with your permission. The levels of donation are Bronze, Silver ($75), Gold($125) and Platinum ($200).
  • If you have access to performance apparel or cycling gear there is definitely a need here:
    • Other promotional clothing, water bottles, etc that help with your sponsorship and name.
    • Bike computers, cages, water bottles, helmets, gloves, cold weather gear, bike shorts,
    • Extra / slightly marred / excess equipment: Stems/handlebars/Pedals/Shoes/Shorts/Junior cassettes/ 52 tooth cranks/14-25 9 speed cassettes/bikes to defer costs.

• We don’t want to turn away riders
• Event fees:  Average cost per rider per event will be $20.
• Gas and Travel to events
• Equipment: Bike $600, Uniforms $150, Junior specific cycle gearing $75
• Team Equipment: Spare wheel $200, Tools $200, Tires/Tubes $200, Stems $250
• Licensing & Insurance: $500
• Filing for  MN corporation and Private non profit status: $425(Immediate Need)
• USA Cycling Team, coach background check, fees, certification, $500
• Pre-season facility gym time:  
• Printing and Publicity: $300
• Our 3 year goal is to have bikes available for most 1^st year riders.

Donations can be made payable to River Valley Junior Cycling and sent to Attn: Guy Beck 937 Waterford Way, Jordan, MN 55352 .For more information, please contact Guy Beck at 952-492-6169. Donations of any size are welcome and online donations of over $50 will be available soon. Businesses please e-mail your logo to skyguy2b@comcast.net in a high resolution JPEG format or an EPS vector format with permission to use the logo.

Thanks so much for your consideration!