El Grupo Norte Youth Cycling

NORTE BUILDS STRONGER, BETTER CONNECTED, AND MORE WALK/BIKE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES BY EMPOWERING THE YOUNG AND YOUNG AT HEART.

1.CELEBRATED THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF A SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM WITH OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNER, THE CITY OF TRAVERSE CITY, AND STATE PARTNER, THE MICHIGAN FITNESS FOUNDATION. THE PROJECT ADDED ENHANCED CROSSWALKS, BIKE LANES, AND 3.2 MILES OF NEW SIDEWALKS AROUND TEN SCHOOLS IN THE CITY. WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE CITY TO ADD ANOTHER 7.45 MILES OF SIDEWALK THROUGH A MUNICIPAL BOND. 2.DELIVERED VARIOUS BIKE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN IN FIVE COUNTIES OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN. FOR OUR THREE MOST POPULAR PROGRAMS, WE HAD 1,337 REGISTERED FOR 2021. NORTE OFFERS SUMMER BIKE CAMP (611, 1ST-8TH GRADE) AND SPRING AND FALL SESSIONS OF ADVENTURE BIKE CLUB (102, 1ST-5TH GRADE) AND MOUNTAIN BIKING TEAM (664, 1ST-12TH GRADE). 3.SUPPORTED OVER 100 FAMILIES WITH OVER 6,000 IN YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS TO PAY FOR OUR PROGRAMS' COMPLETE OR PARTIAL REGISTRATION FEES. 4.LOANED OUT OVER 500 BICYCLES THROUGH OUR GRAND TRAVERSE REGIONAL KIDS' BIKE LIBRARY. THE LIBRARY INCLUDES BALANCE BIKES FOR 2-5 YEAR-OLDS, 12'-24" BIKES FOR 6-10 YEAR-OLDS, ADAPTIVE BIKES FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND GEARED MOUNTAIN BIKES FOR USE DURING OUR YOUTH BIKE PROGRAMS. 5.EXPANDED THE BIKES FOR ALL PROGRAM TO INCLUDE WEEKLY MEET-UPS FOR ADULTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND ABILITIES. THE WEEKLY SOCIAL RIDE INTRODUCED THE COMMUNITY TO NORTE'S GROWING FLEET OF ADAPTIVE BIKES, WHICH INCLUDES TRICYCLES, TANDEMS, RECUMBENTS, LOW STEP-THROUGH BIKES, AND WHEELCHAIR BIKES. THESE BIKES ARE AVAILABLE TO CHECK OUT AT NO COST TO THE USER. 6.HOSTED A TWICE-WEEKLY BALANCE BIKE CLUB MEETUP FOR CHILDREN 2-5 YEARS OLD FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER AT OUR BIKE SKILLS TRACK AT THE GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY CIVIC CENTER. THE MEETUP IS AT NO COST TO FAMILIES, AND NORTE PROVIDES BIKES FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS ONE. 7.LED 30 COMMUNITY SLOW ROLLS IN TRAVERSE CITY AND ELK RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. SLOW ROLLS ARE CASUAL BIKE RIDES THAT KEEP IT SLOW FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES. NORTE'S SLOW ROLLS CELEBRATE COMMUNITY AND SHOW THAT HEALTHY ACTIVITY ISN'T ABOUT SPEED. ALSO, WE HAD THEMED RIDES TO CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE UP NORTH PRIDE AND NORTHERN MICHIGAN E3. 8.PARKED OVER 3,000 BIKES THROUGH OUR BIKE VALET PROGRAM AT THE NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL, SARA HARDY'S FARMERS MARKET, AND CONCERT ON THE LAWN SERIES AT THE GRAND TRAVERSE PAVILIONS. 9.OPENED THE COMMUNITY BIKE SHOP AT THE NORTE CLUBHOUSE AND WHEELHOUSE FOR 4,000 HOURS DURING 2021. THE NORTE COMMUNITY BIKE SHOP IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BUY AND SELL USED BIKES AND LEARN TO FIX THEIR BIKES USING SHARED TOOLS. 10.PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS TO CONTRIBUTE OVER 5,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS TO THE ORGANIZATION. THE ESTIMATED VALUE TO NORTE WAS 142,000 IN TIME AND EXPERTISE. NORTE CREATES A PLACE TO STAY ACTIVE AND CONNECTED FOR NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S AGING POPULATION WHILE PROVIDING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS.