Kelly Brush Century Ride Sets Record for Participation and Fundraising, Kelly Brush Foundation Surpasses $1 Million Mark for SCI and Ski Racing Safety
Burlington, VT (PRWEB) September 18, 2013 -- A record number of riders, spinning to help conquer the challenges of paralysis through love of sport, sets a fundraising record in the Kelly Brush Century Ride powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations earlier this month.
Over 750 cyclists, 25 of them using handcycles, raised $306,000 for adaptive athletes and ski racing safety. The eighth annual ride started in Middlebury, Vt. on Sept. 7, a cool day perfect for riding through the scenic and rolling hills of the Champlain Valley.
“With this support, the Kelly Brush Foundation is able to make a positive difference in the lives of those living with spinal cord injury, through helping with the purchase of specialized adaptive sports equipment. In addition, our supporters have helped put safety first in ski racing,” said foundation President Charlie Brush. “With the incredible generosity of our riders and sponsors, the Kelly Brush Century Ride Powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations has now raised nearly $1.5 million for adaptive athletes and ski racing safety.”
Funds raised through the ride support the Kelly Brush Foundation's mission to conquer the challenges of paralysis through love of sport by helping athletes with spinal cord injuries purchase specialized sports equipment. In addition the foundation has helped put over 400 miles of safety netting onto race courses across the country and carried out a ski racing safety awareness campaign.
The foundation has awarded more than 60 grants for adaptive equipment, including adaptive gear for skiing, cycling, bowling, rowing and even horse carriage racing. Applications for adaptive gear grants are currently being accepted. For information visit the foundation's web site: http://www.kellybrushfoundation.org.
The Kelly Brush Century Ride powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations is made possible, thanks to the generosity of participants and sponsors including: VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, Shearer Audi, Sugarbush Resort, KeyBank, Saatchi & Saatchi, World Cup Supply and others.
About the Kelly Brush Foundation: The Kelly Brush Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving ski racing safety, enhancing the quality of life for those with spinal cord injury(SCI) through providing adaptive sports equipment, advancing scientific research on SCI and supporting the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team. The foundation has raised more than $1 million and assisted in procuring over 400 miles of safety netting and other safety equipment for ski racing organizations as well as launched a successful public awareness campaign about ski racing safety. The foundation has also purchased more than 60 pieces of adaptive equipment for paralyzed individuals, getting them back into the sports they love. Kelly Brush Davisson, together with her family, started the foundation in 2006 after she sustained a severe spinal cord injury while racing in NCAA Div. 1 competition as a member of the Middlebury College Ski Team in Vermont. The Kelly Brush Foundation affirms Kelly’s ongoing commitment to live life on her own terms and better the lives of others living with SCI. http://www.kellybrushfoundation.org
About VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations: Founded in 1971 by a Middlebury College professor, VBT offers deluxe, small group bicycling, walking and cross-country skiing tours worldwide including destinations in Europe, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, Peru, Argentina, Canada and the U.S.A. Each trip includes all accommodations, many meals, two expert local Trip Leaders, unique sightseeing and cultural activities and full vehicle support. Unlike other companies, VBT also includes international airfare in its trip cost. http://www.vbt.com.
Betsy Cabrera, Kelly Brush Foundation, http://www.kellybrushfoundation.org, +1 (802) 497-4909, [email protected]
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