The Cycle Effect Announces New Pilot Program in Routt County
Through a grant awarded by The Moniker Foundation, The Cycle Effect will be expanding their Girls Mountain Bike Program to offer a pilot program to participants in Routt County.
The Girls Mountain Bike Program helps empower girls through mountain biking to create brighter futures and build stronger communities. This program is offered year-round, providing over 80 days of mountain bike training, nutritional education, mentorship, community service, goal-setting and college readiness. The program provides participants with a mountain bike and all of the necessary safety equipment, as well as year-round coaches and mentors. Of the young women that have been involved in the program for 3 years or more, 100% of the participants have gone to college, 75% are the first in their families to attend.
Brett Donelson, Executive Director of The Cycle Effect, says, “Our program focuses on welcoming young women into the mountain bike community and eliminating barriers in order to make this amazing sport more accessible, while also intentionally recruiting Latinx girls. We continue to have success in our current communities and are excited to run a shortened pilot program in Routt County. The Moniker Foundation is proving to be an amazing partner that understands our mission and the local community. We are thrilled to be working with them on this project.”
Rachel Sinton of The Moniker Foundation said, “Since being introduced to The Cycle Effect last year, we have been so inspired by the work they do in the counties we support in our High Country Region. With Routt County being such a similar community to Summit and Eagle, we felt inspired to bring The Cycle Effect to it. The Cycle Effect’s programming aligns perfectly with the values and mission of The Moniker Foundation. We are excited about this partnership and would love to see The Cycle Effect become a big part of the Steamboat community.”
In 2021, The Cycle Effect will work with 285 young women across Eagle, Mesa and Summit Counties, 75% of which will be from minority families or identify with an at-risk factor such as low-income. By expanding programming to Routt County, The Cycle Effect will be able to have a direct impact on young women and their families in the community and help to further strengthen equity across the state. Upon expansion, The Cycle Effect will be recruiting participants through community partnerships.
“Expanding our program to other communities has been a long-term vision and we are excited to see what our long-term options are in Routt County. We are thrilled to pilot our program and we are grateful to The Moniker Foundation to make this possible. This is an exciting time for our organization and we are looking forward to making an impact in Routt County!” stated Vicki Flynn, Sr. Director of Development and Operations of The Cycle Effect.