Ten years ago, Andrew Goodwillie took a group of kids from , a few of his friends and a pickup truck full of bicycles to the foothills of Denver for a mountain bike ride.
And thus began .
Earlier this month, the nonprofit organization headed by Dave Cowan celebrated the start of its second decade by honoring Goodwillie at a fundraiser chaired by Leslie Harris and Goodwillie’s wife, Catherine. The buffet supper and auction was held at the
Trips for Kids/Denver Boulder works to reduce barriers by introducing kids from low-income families and diverse ethnic backgrounds to the joy of bicycling.
“Andrew is a very humble man who believes that a bike is that simple tool to make a positive impact on so many lives,” Cowan noted, adding that Trips for Kids doesn’t just teach youngsters to ride, it also teaches valuable life skills.
It does so through three unique elements.
The Ride Program offers introductory mountain biking and urban cycling experiences; Earn-a-Bike lets kids earn their own bicycle by teaching them the fundamentals of bike maintenance by repairing donated bicycles. And Lucky Bikes Re-Cyclery is a community hub that provides employment opportunities and the chance to “keep the whole family rolling” by enabling kids and their families to acquire bikes of their own.
Marcello Da Cunha described the confidence he developed as a Trips for Kids participant and noted that money he earned as a paid intern there enabled him to visit , where he plans to study mechanical engineering after his 2015 graduation from George Washington High School.
Those attending the fundraiser included Jean Howery, chair of the along with such fellow trustees as Andy Bean, an associate at ; Alex McCord, auditor at ; and Avi Loewenstein, an attorney at , one of the benefit’s key sponsors; Ethan and Holly Stienstra; Jessica Parsley; Fatima Lily; and several representatives from , on whose board Catherine Goodwillie sits.
The group included development director Steve Harrell, associate development director Ellie Atkeson; program coordinator Kate Stoutmaire and database coordinator Brenna Dorsten.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
Sandee walling honored
Longtime supporter Sandee Walling was honored when the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center staged its annual gala. To see pictures taken at the event chaired by Terri Fisher and Gayle Novak, please visit denverpost.com/ seengallery
