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The Bluegrass Cycling Club Giving Back to the Community

 

 

Each year the Bluegrass Cycling Club uses a large portion of the net proceeds from the Horsey Hundred to provide funds to organizations and individuals by offering programs, and sponsoring events or projects in the Bluegrass area that promote our mission statement.


Support is provided in two ways -  First, a competitive grant program, where interested organizations submit an application for funding to the Philanthropy Committee of the BCC board. More information about how to obtain a Grant from the BCC can be found here: Philanthropy Funding Guidelines and Procedures,  and the application to apply can be found here:  Philanthropy Committee Funding Application. The BCC also provides funding through proactive initiatives identified and undertaken by the Philanthropy Committee with approval of the BCC board.


Our annual funding cycles for competitive grants are January 31 and June 30.

For questions and to submit applications, please contact committee chairperson Rowena Ruff at cyclerow00@gmail.com.


The Bluegrass Cycling Club donates more than $20,000 annually to a diverse group of organizations and individuals in the Central Bluegrass Region. In addition to providing funding, members of the BCC generously donate their time by volunteering in the communities in which we have the pleasure to cycle.
 
We have several ongoing partnerships with community-based organizations to provide bikes for commuting to workplaces including the Kentucky Refugee Ministries, veterans in re-entry, and the Chrysalis House, a long-term treatment facility for substance disorders.  We provide these agencies and individuals with bikes, along with bike pumps, reflective vests, locks and bike lights.

Other significant philanthropic initiatives and partnerships include the following:

  • We sponsored a bike camp for the Downs Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky;
  • We replaced worn out bikes at the North Lexington YMCA and provided a large bike rack to support the bikes. In addition, we provided sturdy bike locks and a trailer for parents to use with small children. The Y makes these bikes available for people to use on the adjacent Legacy Trail;
  • We have been a significant sponsor of the Lexington Downtown Corporation’s Bike Lexington in May during bike month;
  • We were a sponsor of the Fraternal Order of Firefighters Toy Program’s annual Christmas bike drive, and many of our members also donated bikes to this program individually;
  • We provided funds to Habitat for Humanity to give bikes to new homeowners;
  • We paid for 15 PSAs at Lexington Community Radio station in both English and Spanish to educates the listening audience about bike safety and bike activities, and we sponsored their radio program, Bike Talk.
  • The City of Sadieville received a bike rack and fixit station for their new trailhead;
  • The Kentucky Mountain Bike Association (KYBMA) received grants to conduct a women’s beginner mountain bike clinic;
  • The BCC purchases over 60 bikes and helmets annually for the Fraternal Order of Police’s Christmas Shop with a Cop in Lexington, Georgetown and Frankfort. BCC members volunteer at each location to give away bikes with the policeman and their assigned children;
  • Each year we contribute funds to buy helmets and bikes for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Kentucky for their Christmas annual bike give away, sponsored by Audi of Lexington;
  • We donated funds to AMBUS, which purchases bikes for children who have various physical disabilities. These bikes are built specially for each child and the children are referred to AMBUCS by nurses and physical therapists; and
  • The BCC initially gave startup funds to our local community bike shop, Broke Spoke, and every year we contribute funds to support their volunteer endeavors.