SAN RAFAEL, CA (BRAIN) — Interbike Expo co-founder Steve Ready has donated $10,000 to Trip for Kids International. The nonprofit plans to use the new funds to expand its programs, which provide mountain bike outings, mechanic training and environmental education for low-income youth.
Ready started the trade show in September 1982 with co-founder and friend Herb Wettenkamp. He sold Interbike in the mid-1990s but remains in touch with several people in the industry. The collaboration between Trips for Kids founder Marilyn Price and Ready dates back to 1999 when TFK formed its international program.
Price has attended Interbike since 1989, where she meets with industry members to secure donations of overstocked, blemished and outdated products to sell at the Re-Cyclery, the nonprofit’s thrift shop. More than 300 companies, shops and clubs have donated bikes and equipment that would otherwise have gone into landfills.
“The Re-Cyclery supports more than 50 percent of our annual program expenses,” Price said. “Without Steve's support and the industry contacts we have made through him, we would not be where we are today.”
Trips for Kids was founded in 1988. It has 80 chapters in North America and one chapter in Israel.