Trips for Kids’ Israel Chapter Rides with Northern Virginia Chapter

San Rafael, Calif. and Springfield, Va. –April 27, 2009–Trips for Kids (TFK), an international nonprofit serving at-risk youth, announces its first joint ride with participants from the TFK chapters in Beit Shemesh, Israel and Northern Virginia at 4 p.m., on Monday, May 4, 2009 at Lake Accotink Park, Springfield, Va., 22150.

“We are thrilled to give young riders from the Israel and Northern Virginia chapters this opportunity to share their excitement for the outdoors and mountain biking,” said Marilyn Price, founder of Trips for Kids. “We are certain that both groups will gain appreciation for the outdoors, mountain biking and other nationalities.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s “Partnership 2000,” a program dedicated to creating relationships between Israeli and North American Jewish communities on an individual, organizational and community level, made this ride possible by underwriting the trip for Trips for Kids Israel- Samson Riders Bicycle Club (TFK Israel-SRBC).

“The children visiting from Israel were struggling academically and had little direction in their lives when they joined Trips for Kids,” explained Gilad Golani, liaison for Partnership 2000 in Washington, D.C. “They all demonstrated a great deal of self discipline to improve their scholastic efforts and earn their spot on the Washington, D.C. trip.”

TFK Israel-SRBC chapter will take home five new bicycles donated by Trek Bicycle Corporation. As an official TFK sponsor, Trek generously supplies a starter set of bikes to each new TFK chapter.

This inspiring event adds to TFK’s already rich history of enriching the lives of underserved youth. Through its 65 chapters, the 21-year-old organization has taken 50,000 underserved youth throughout the U.S., Canada, and Israel on day-long mountain bike adventures. In addition to a day of fun and healthy exercise, the young riders take home an increased awareness of their natural environment and strengthened self confidence.

About Trips for Kids
Trips for Kids (www.tripsforkids.org) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization based in Marin County, California. With 60-plus chapters operating in the United States, Canada and Israel, Trips For Kids opens the world of cycling to at-risk youth through mountain bike rides and Earn-A-Bike programs. Trips for Kids started in 1988 as a grass roots effort by avid mountain biker, environmentalist and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee Marilyn Price to provide inner-city youth a way to enjoy the outdoors and gain much-needed life skills.

Fueled by success in the San Francisco Bay Area, the national organization was launched in 1999 with the expanded mission to open as many chapters as possible in order to provide kids with lessons in personal responsibility, achievement and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun through mountain biking.

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TRIPS FOR KIDS NATIONAL MEDIA CONTACTS:
Marilyn Price, Trips for Kids, 415.458.2986, national@tripsforkids.org or
Chip Smith, SOAR Communications, 801.523.3730, csmith@soarcomm.com

TRIPS FOR KIDS METRO D.C. MEDIA CONTACT
Julie Childers, Trips for Kids Metro DC Executive Director, 703.209.5721, tfkmetrodc@tfkmetrodc.org