First, I want to thank the Bike Board for
donating the bike rack this past school year to our program at
South Middle. It was a welcome addition to the single rack that
we had. The donated rack helped us manage the large number of
bikes dropped off by families in the AM for their children to
ride with the club after school. The South Bike Club had 78
active members this past school year. That is slightly over 10%
of the entire South student population of about 750. We also
have 7 teachers active and a partnership with WVU Science
Behind the Sport. We rode at least once a month, except January
(too much snow). Rides included South to Star City and back, a
few rides on single track in White Park, South to Uffington
Bridge and back and our annual field trip during the school day
from Reedsville down Deckers and finishing at South (22 miles).
Also this past year a former club member worked on an Eagle
Scout project to improve South's bike parking. He designed and
built a new bike pad behind the shcool installing two new racks
and reconditioning the Bike Boards donated rack giving us the
capability to park 80 bikes. We feel that we are the most bike
friendly school in the county! Along with South, the Alternative
Learning Center at Milam Park also has an active bike program.
And this year, University High has a new faculty member who is
well versed in all things biking--Ryan Stocking. And finally,
South Bike Club is always in need. If there are any bikes that
the Board knows of that are operable we usually have a few kids
needing to borrow from the club. We currently have only two
loaner bikes and every ride we must turn away a few kids who do
not have a bike or whose bike is not in a operable condition.
Also, we are always in need of $. We feed the children after
each ride and we need to purchase equipment- tubes, helmets and
such. If the Board knows of any businesses and / or indivduals
who would care to help support in any way please have them
contact me at
mwthorne@access.k12.wv.us or at 304-777-7567
during school hours (7am to 2:30pm). I am again doing a fund
raiser for the club. In October I run the WV Trilogy on Spruce
Knob 94.1 miles in three days. I ask for $ per mile, so pass
that on to anyone you think would be interested.
Again, thank you for the rack and your
support. Hope to see you on the trail. Come ride with the club
any time.
Mark Thorne