The Cycle Effect June Fundraiser & Matching Gift Challenge
The Cycle Effect hosted their most successful annual fundraiser to date
Vail, CO — July 14, 2022 — The Butterfly Effect is a phenomenon whereby a small localized change early on can lead to vastly different outcomes. Enter The Cycle Effect: a non-profit dedicated to empowering young women through mountain biking in our Colorado communities on the Western Slope. Now in its ninth year, The Cycle Effect’s participant long-term outcomes are sparking new attention and increased fundraising.
The Cycle Effect hosted their annual matching gift fundraiser at the end of June at Larkspur restaurant. The in-person event, along with the digital campaign, has currently raised over $330,000. The evening’s presentation inspired an anonymous donor to give an additional $50,000 towards the original $125,000 matching gift challenge. The organization is currently raising funds to unlock the full surprise $50,000 gift, if you or someone you know would like to donate please visit thecycleeffect.org! These additional funds will help support the organization’s goal to increase the number of athletes it impacts annually.
The event featured impactful stories from graduating athletes and a powerful speech from a former Cycle Effect athlete who is now on The Cycle Effect Board of Directors. Each of these individuals's stories illustrated how The Cycle Effect changed the trajectory of their life in positive and impactful ways. The event raised funds to help empower nearly 315 young women who are participants in The Cycle Effect’s programs in Eagle, Summit, Mesa, and Routt Counties.
Roccio “Coco” Andrade, one of The Cycle Effect’s first athletes, spoke at the event. Andrade started in the program when she was 13 years old, and is now a Cycle Effect board member and a Bilingual Behavioral Health Case Manager for Eagle Valley Behavioral Health.
Andrade spoke about the larger impact the program has had on her life, “Courage is the greatest quality I developed at The Cycle Effect because I learned I could get out of my comfort zone and still have control over it. Every time I fell, I got back up and did it again. Mountain biking taught me lessons that I would have never learned in any other sport. To this day I apply everything I learned on the bike in my professional career.”
Rocio “Coco” Andrade is currently a Bilingual Behavioral Health Case Manager for Eagle Valley Behavioral Health. She was an Eagle County Guardian Scholar (2015), My Future Pathways & Eagle Valley Behavioral Health Scholar in 2019 and graduated from Colorado Mesa University Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice followed by earning her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Denver.
This is The Cycle Effect phenomenon - the impacts of the program have a ripple effect far beyond the bike.
“Over the last 12 years Coco has been a pivotal member of our family. From a pioneer in the program, to an inspiration to other girls with her educational pursuits, to now helping shape the organization's future as a board member, there is no one that represents the organization better than Coco. She and I are both enjoying that she is now my boss and we look forward to what the organization can do in the future,” says Brett Donelson, The Cycle Effect Founder and Executive Director.
The fundraising efforts for The Cycle Effect’s fundraiser were doubled through matching gift donors who have been inspired by the impact of the organization: Janelle & Buck Blessing, Sue & Dr. Erik Dorf, Tina Nielsen & Andy Littman, and Susan & Gary Rosenbach.
Susan Rosenbach, a matching donor and board chair of The Cycle Effect, shared, “The Cycle Effect’s program is extremely inspirational and we have been impressed with the impact on each participant. We are so excited to see the growth of the organization with the increase in number of athletes across each county and the recent expansion of a new program in Routt County. The organization has truly been pivotal in changing the lives and futures of participants and we are proud to be a part of this community that embraces such a valuable program.”
About The Cycle Effect
The Cycle Effect empowers young women through mountain biking. Currently, The Cycle Effect has programs across the Western slope of Colorado in Eagle County, Mesa County, Routt County, and Summit County. Through intentional year-round programming, the organization focuses on three primary focus areas: physical wellness, community impact & mentorship, and building brighter futures. By providing an opportunity for girls to be engaged in regular, healthy programs that help build their self-esteem and promote overall wellness, girls are more likely to be healthier, stay engaged in school, and set goals that will support their future.
The Cycle Effect helps instill a higher level of self-confidence, perseverance, grit, determination, and a sense of belonging by participating in a team and building relationships with individual coach mentors and teammates. Learn more at thecycleeffect.org