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Contact Information:
Sheri Rosenbaum
Publicity Chairperson
847-368-1762

For Immediate Release:

Wheeling Wheelmen Bicycle Club Donates Record Amount to Support Cycling Advocacy

Buffalo Grove, Illinois – December 27, 2007 – The Wheeling Wheelmen, a suburban not-for-profit cycling club, announced they will provide record donations for the fifth year running. New routes, outstanding attendance and great weather for their annual Harmon Hundred invitational provided the revenue to give back to key advocacy groups.

A total of $6100 will be donated to several organizations. Breakout of the donations are as follows:

-         $1500 to the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation (CBF)

-         $1500 to the League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB)

-         $1000 to the League of American Bicyclists (LAB)

-         $1000 to Trips for Kids - Fox Valley Chapter

-         $500 to Wisconsin Bike Federation (WBF)

-         $500 to Working Bikes Cooperative

-         $100 to Thunderhead Alliance

A formal presentation will take place at the club’s first meeting of the New Year at 7pm on January 3rd at Wheeling High School.

“This year we added one new organization to our donation list--Working Bike Cooperative. We also increased our donation to Trips for Kids. Each year we like to not only donate to key advocacy groups, but also identify smaller, lesser known organizations that need assistance and exposure to the community,” stated club president, Rich Drapeau.

Working Bikes Cooperative is a not-for-profit cooperative which diverts bicycles from the waste stream in Chicago by repairing them for sale and charity. All its operations are funded through the sale of bicycles at its storefront. Working Bikes uses that money to provide bicycles to charity organizations within Chicagoland and to ship bicycles to the Gulf Coast, Cuba, Guatemala, Ecuador, and many other places of need. In the countries to which Working Bikes ships, a bicycle can often mean the difference between work and unemployment. The bicycle is the primary means of vehicular transportation for the majority of the population and is used both for personal transportation and for carrying cargo. (workingbikes.org)

Trips for Kids Fox Valley is a small non-profit organization that provides mountain bike outings for kids who would not otherwise have these opportunities. They use the bicycle as a tool to combine lessons in personal responsibility, achievement, and environmental stewardship through development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun. (www.tfkfoxvalley.org)

About the Wheeling Wheelmen:
Founded in 1970, by Phyllis Harmon, the Wheelmen club has grown to 300 members from Chicago, as well as the north and northwest suburbs. Club rides leave from Cook, Lake and McHenry counties and range from 20-120 miles. For more information on the Wheeling Wheelmen rides, meetings, and mission, go to www.wheelmen.com, call 847-520-5010, or e-mail wheeling@wheelmen.com.
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