Dear Mgtn Bike Board,
                   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