The third annual Major Taylor Project Spinathon benefit, to be held on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m., has expanded to new locations!

Live Love Flow, Seattle’s first indoor cycling yoga fusion studio, has agreed to co-host this year’s Spinathon! Tentative plans include adding a third location in the University District.

Our 2013 Spinathon goal is $35,000 with 100 percent of the evening’s proceeds going toward reaching more students at our existing South and Southeast Seattle Major Taylor Project sites, and to support the newly created Major Taylor Project Youth Leadership Retreat.

The Major Taylor Project transforms and empowers underserved youth through bicycling, by promoting leadership, personal responsibility and positive physical and social development. Named after Marshall “Major” Taylor, the turn of the century African-American U.S. and world bicycle sprint champion, the Major Taylor Project is a year-round youth development program focused on creating access and opportunities for youth in diverse and underserved communities. The project shares the importance of bicycling, leadership, community activism, bicycle maintenance, safety and the importance of working toward individual goals.

Come support the Major Taylor Project Spinathon at one of the following locations:

• Allstar Fitness, 2629 W Andover St, West Seattle
• Live Love Flow, 1223 E. Cherry St (by Seattle University)
• And possibly at a third location in the University District. Check the website for updates.

You can reserve your bike for one, two or three hours. The donation to reserve your bike is $30 per hour. Online registration is available at www.cascade.org and liveloveflowyoga.com. You can also show your support in the following ways:

Personal Pledge Challenge

Collect donations from your supporters and increase your chance to win great prizes!

• Raise $250 and receive two additional premium drawing tickets
• Raise $500 and receive a Major Taylor Project jersey and five additional premium drawing tickets
• Raise $1000 and receive a Major Taylor Project jersey, and 10 premium drawing tickets

Sponsor a Major Taylor Student Spinner

Support a student on the bike for one, two or three hours.

Match a Spinner

Work for an organization that will match your support? Pledge your support and have your organization match your efforts.

You may also visit the Major Taylor Project page and submit your donation online. When you sign up for the evening’s events, you will automatically enter a drawing for some amazing gifts and prizes. If you are not available to attend, you can still help the Major Taylor Project by sending a donation.

Mail-in Donations: (Please write “MTP” in the memo line on your check)

Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation
7400 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 101S
Seattle, WA 98115

On Thursday, Oct. 11, the Major Taylor Project participated in the Microsoft Non-Profit Organization Fair.  The NPO Fair features local and national non-profits as a part of the Microsoft Gives campaign  which takes place throughout the year, with a special push every October to encourage employees to explore and support a non-profit organization of their choice.  Employees can sponsor a non-profit organization and/or pledge their support, and Microsoft will match employee nonprofit donations and volunteering up to $12,000 per employee.

It’s a pleasure to hear that  friend and fellow bike racer, Rew Adams, has chosen to sponsor the Major Taylor Project this month.

I met Rew 10 years ago on a random training ride.  In casual conversation and between threshold intervals, we discovered a common passion for cycling and sharing the sports benefits with youth.  We also discovered a common knowledge of Major Taylor.  Rew probably knows more about Major Taylor than I do, and, you could say, Rew and Major Taylor share common ground.

Growing up on Chicago’s Southside, Rew has a unique perspective of race and access. You see, Rew is of Irish heritage, and if you’ve ever been to the Southside of Chicago, you know it predominantly African-American. He knows what it’s like to be the only white kid in a predominantly black school. Being a white kid on a bike in the middle of Chicago’s Southside makes this 10 times as difficult. Much like Major Taylor, Rew persevered through the difficulty and pursued his passion for cycling and technology.

One thing I didn’t know about Rew is his passion for tattoos. Perhaps it’s my perception of life across the pond at Microsoft.  Or perhaps it’s my button-up, corporate background of the 1980s and 90s.   Or maybe I just need to get out of the house more often.  But I didn’t think a bike lovin’, computer wizn’, family guy would be so passionate about ink.

He is so passionate that during the Microsoft Non-Profit Organization Fair, Rew put a pledge challenge to his co-workers and to the Microsoft cycling community: If $5,000 is raised for the Major Taylor Project during the month of October, he’ll get the Major Taylor Project logo strategically tattooed on his body! Strategic meaning that Rew will choose the least-painful part of his body for the ink. So unfortunately, no full-on Mike Tyson face tattoo, which, as I’m sure you will agree, would have been cool.

The neat thing about this story is that you never know in what form, or from whom, support will come.  We all have an event or experience in our lives that inspire us to act, to be involved or to give. If you see Rew on the bike or on campus, ask him about his passion and his support of the Major Taylor Project and maybe, just maybe, he’ll show you his new tattoo.

Thanks Rew. We appreciate your support!

If you’d like to support the Major Taylor Project, but don’t work at Microsoft, you can give directly online anytime.