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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2016
Contact: Jamie Malin, 248-866-2457, [email protected]
Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association President
VAIL VALLEY MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION SEEKS $50,0000 FOR ADOPT-A-TRAIL CAMPAIGN TO ASSIST WITH TRAIL MAINTENANCE, EXPANSION
(Vail, Colo)— The Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association (VVMBA) is encouraging trail enthusiasts to help the organization raise $50,000 to fund an Adopt-A-Trail program. With over 600 miles of U.S. Forest Service trails in Eagle County and only a two-person ranger trail crew, the fundraising campaign will provide funds for an additional seasonal Forest Service ranger, an independent coordinator and cover other costs associated with a proposed valley wide Adopt-a-Trail program. The ranger would supervise the program in 2016, focusing on basic trail maintenance on the existing trail system within the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District to include cleaning drainage features, removing brush, down trees and ensuring signage is in place. Over $13,000 has been raised in less than a week, including a $5,000 contribution by EagleVail Metropolitan District with a deadline set for Feb. 15 to meet hiring deadlines. The fundraising campaign is one of the first of its kind in Colorado.
According to VVMBA President and owner of The Kind Bikes and Skis Jamie Malin, over 80 percent of Eagle County is located on public lands either managed by the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. In an effort to make the Vail Valley a world class trail destination, Malin says there is a need to increase the staffing of local agencies with continued community involvement. “We’ve made a lot of strides in the past few years, building and creating trail maintenance programs, but more resources are needed to take the valley to the next level,” said Malin. “If we can work as a community and bring together our hikers, bikers, trail runners and other users, we can increase the capabilities of our partners at the Forest Service. Currently, our existing trails don’t get the attention they need now and there is no approval capacity for new trails until we properly take care of existing trails. As a result, the Adopt-a-Trail program, similar to what has been done in other communities, is a required step to allow the Forest Service to take us in the right direction.”
An additional $37,000 is needed to fund the ranger and create the Adopt-a-Trail program, which would establish a system for the basic trail maintenance so our trails become sustainable, says Malin. The Adopt-a-Trail program would offer opportunities for local organizations or businesses to care for their favorite trail, right out their back doors. Individuals could partner with a club or business to help. 100 percent of the contributions will directly fund the Adopt-a-Trail program with zero administrative/overhead costs. As a chapter of the International Mountain Bike Association, the VVMBA is 501c-3 organization and donations are tax deductible.
To donate, visit http://www.gofundme.com/adopt-a-ranger or contact Malin at 248-866-2457. For details about or to volunteer with the VVMBA, visit http://www.vvmba.org or follow them on Facebook.
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