SO MANY CHOICES

When it comes to cycling you will want a bike that suits your needs and there is a bike to suit just about anyone's needs.




In Kokomo we have-

Victory Bike Shop
(765) 452-9717
301 E Morgan St, Kokomo, IN 46901




Kokomo Cycling & Fitness
1500 E Boulevard, Kokomo, IN 46902
(765) 452-7110

CHANGE OF PLANS

It's been quite a while since I've have updated this blog and for that I apologize. It's been a rough and busy year and not much has gone as planned. When I started this, it was with the intentions of a long distance bike tour to raise money for a Memorial Scholarship in my late son's name who passed away one year ago this January 30th. The problem we ran into was that our school only accepts scholarships that go through THE TIPTON COUNTY FOUNDATION and they have worked against us every step of the way. On the first day we went into the foundation we met with the President and made our intentions clear despite him trying to talk us into giving the money to one of his causes instead. We clearly stated "No we want a Memorial Scholarship in our son's name that continues to give annually" He was reluctant, telling us how we had to raise $10,000 within 5 years for a "mere $400" scholarship to start being awarded. We told him we were confident we could do that and that was the path we wanted to take so he had us sign some papers and told us that if we raised $2000 the first year the foundation would match it. We exchanged emails throughout the year. He wrote asking for a picture of Andy for the scholarship, we discussed fundraisers (which he IMO rudely discouraged stating that they would never work that we could only raise that kind of money "by knowing people with deep pockets" to which I told him he underestimated me and the community) He even came out to our walk-a-thon. Then we got a letter reprimanding us for doing a fundraiser without their knowledge! To which I sent copies of all of my correspondence with the foundation President and got an apology with "there must have been some misunderstanding on our part..." So we continued to work with them and we DID raise the $2000 plus. Then a week or so ago (in January) we received a letter telling us since we never formally set up the scholarship that the money would go to DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS AND WOULD NOT BE MATCHED OR BE PUT IN A MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IN OUR SON'S NAME but that we could choose another worthy cause. Given that our son's death resulted initially from an injury he sustained from playing football for the school and that before his death he was thought highly of, an honor's student, did a great deal of community service and won many scholarships despite his being absent most of his senior year due to his injury, not one single member of his football coaching staff or the athletics department has offered ANY words of condolence or attended either his visitation or funeral. Despite a student raising a petition signed by basically the entire student body to retire our son's number they refused even though we have a very small team so his number/jersey would not be missed. (we know of numbers that went unused while they used Andy's) In other words we haven't received any support or even compassion from most of the faculty of the school and definitely not the athletics dept. for which our son gave so much. It seems to us that they do not want the story of a promising young man dying from an injury on their watch...so much so that they won't even accept money to help further the education of future graduates if it's in his name. Needless to say this greatly upset us. We have chosen a good cause for the money to go to and it will be helping a much needed educational cause. I don't want to say more until it is given to the recipient as we want it to be a surprise but I will tell you once it is awarded.

This still leaves us with the question- What do we do in memory of Andy? Andy knew the importance of education, self discipline and physical fitness. These were all very important to him. WE have come to cherish our time riding rail trails and greenways. This has been a great help in our healing process. So we thought, what about trying to help extend the trails in Kokomo to follow the abandoned railroad that leads into Sharpsville? It has history as it was used for trade and at one time for trolleys for commuters to and from Sharpsville and Kokomo among other towns. There are so many good reasons for the counties to consider this which I won't list in this blog but will in future blogs. I will say though, that they have always served to greatly benefit communities who have added them.


How would this allow us to memorialize our son? We would like to not only help build the trail but we would like to open a trail head store in Sharpsville with bike rentals, restrooms, bike accessories, and snacks and cold drinks as well as pictures from the roots to present of Sharpsville history and we would place a memorial plaque in our son's name here.


It is my hope that there will be people reading this who would also like to see this trail be built and help in this endeavor. This would also open up the opportunity for others to donate memorial rest area's, trail heads, or advertise by making donations if you are a business.


If you support this cause please join my blog to show your support and share it with anyone you know who would also be interested. This will take a great group effort but it will also produce great rewards.


For more information on rail trails and greenways click on one of the following links-
http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/default.htm

https://twitter.com/american_trails

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanTrails.org

http://www.railstotrails.org/index.html