News and Events
2008
Right Moves for Youth at Northridge Middle
Officer Chris Walters presents Hector of Northridge Middle
School a bike for being the most improved student in the
Right Moves for Youth Club.
The Spokes Group supported RMFY with 100 bikes and helmets
this year to be used as incentives for club members.
Right Moves for Youth /
Sedgefield Elementary Schools
DON'TRAVIUS AWARDED BIKE
Chantay Roland who serves as our club leader there says,
“He is very respectful to all teachers and peers. Don'Travius has
made steady academic progress this school year. We're proud
of the gains he's made.”
SpokesGroup Luncheon 2008
3 employees of The Vanguard Group, Susan
McCutchan Shepherd, Thomas Schupack, and Scott Marker join
Larry Goodgame and Will Beard of The Spokes Group at the
annual “Free Lunch.” The lunch is held each year so that
guests can see what 1800 new bikes look like before they
get donated to needy families at the Christmas Bureau.
Right Moves for Youth (A
Spokesgroup Partner)Garinger
(September 2008 by Langston Wertz Jr.)
Thomas Gooding is a 6-foot-5 senior at Garinger, playing
high school football for the first time after turning
his life and grades around. He's buoyed by the chance
to go to college via football.
[read the full article]
2007
CHRISTMAS 2007
We're sure your generosity helped "light" up many Christmas smiles.
Alex Martinez Awarded for 'Job Well Done'.
Charlotte police officer, Dwight Stone presents Alex Martinez
of Quail Hollow Middle School and member of the Right Moves
for Youth club a bike for having an outstanding year.
Program director, Otis Stroud, looks on. 2007 is the second
year that The Spokes Group supported the Right Moves for
Youth organization with bikes to be used as motivational
incentives for achieving students.
THE GIVING JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER
Susan Wollin works for the Providence Day
after school program. She has gotten the kids interested
in supporting us. Eight of the youngsters in the program
came over to The Christmas Bureau Monday and worked for
an hour. One of the little girls presenting us with
the money they raised. She gave me checks for $905.
The second grade at the school also wanted to get involved
so the teacher set up a penny jar and would only let
them donate pennys. They raised $116 in pennys.
2007 RIBBON CUTTING
Major Todd Smith, Will Beard (The Spokes Group),
Beverly Hinson (DSS), Roddy Kerr, Chair of TSA board (Belk
Stores), Charlotte Mayor Pat McCory, David LLoveras (Circle
K), Jennifer Murdoch (Circle K), and Chuck Griffith, Chair
of Christmas Bureau board (Charlotte Observer) cut the ribbon
for the 2007 Christmas Bureau. 1800+ bikes provided by The
Spokes Group will be distributed to needy families in Charlotte
through the Christmas Bureau.
They Walk So Others Can Ride...
The kids pictured in the attachment are as follows:
Front row: L to R- MacKenzie Busby, Natalie Swimmer, Linley
Busby
Back row: L to R Felix Westercamp, Joey Zweng, Wyatt Packer,
Amit Naik, Miles Busby
These young men and women from Charlotte participated
in a charity walk and selected The Spokes Group to receive
$945. That makes for 14 more happy homes on Christmas morning.
The boys (and some girls) ask family and friends to sponsor
them with a certain amount of money per lap. It is usually
$1.00. They commit to walk 10 laps around the Harris YMCA
track. That is 5 miles and most all of them do not stop until
they have finished their goal.
The walk was organized by Wyatt Packer, Tripp
Mulligan, Trent Mulligan, and Elijah Packer.
RALEIGH SPOKESGROUP CHAPTER LAUNCHES!!
Jenn Norwalk (l) and Ashley Wilson of the
NEW Raleigh Spokesgroup already
have 11 bikes donated.
Their goal the first year is 200 bikes.
The Spokes Group
will match
them bike for bike for the first year to get them started.
SELFLESS GIVING IS AN INSPIRATION TO GROUP
OF AREA TEENS
When Kathryn Knight had her 16th birthday party
on March 24 (she was 16 on the 20th), in lieu of presents
she asked for Bike Fund donations. Kathryn wanted to do
something in memory of her grandfather, Howard Knight, who
passed away last year.
The guests donated funds to purchase 4 bikes
honor the occasion. The teens (not all shown here) included
Kathryn, Brittany Coggin, Courtney Mehlman. Kat Atkins,
Cate Auerbach, Taylor Borkey, Laura Carpenter, Alexandra
Ferrogiarro, Mary Ellen Goode, Caitlin Graham, Torre Grills,
Hannah Heidenreich, Lelia Hoover, Jacqueline McNeil, Kathryn
Ross, Abby Scott, Sophie Smith, Katy Stewart, Sudie Smith,
and Maggie Daniels.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
KATHRYN FROM THE SPOKESGROUP
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
2006
ETRADE PROVIDES 133 BIKES IN 2006
On April 10,
2007, The Spokesgroup presented the management team at
Etrade in Charlotte a "canceled
check" for $8500 in honor of their 2006 support. With this
corporate gift and their traditional Christmas chili cookoff,
the local ETRADE office donated funds for 133 bikes in
2006. The bikes were distributed to needy families at the
Salvation Army Christmas Bureau.
SPOKESGROUP
PARTNERS WITH "RIGHT MOVES
FOR YOUTH"
Katelyn Graham from Billingsville Elementary
is excited about her new bike.
Thanks SpokesGroup!!
"We are pleased to be
able to reward one student in each RMFY elementary school
club with a new bicycle. Volunteer club leaders choose
the recipients of the bike, (with a demonstrated need for
a bicycle) who has shown the most outstanding improvement
in school attendance, behavior and academic performance during
the fall semester.
We acquired the 35 bikes (one for each RMFY
elementary school club) thanks to a new partnership with
the Spokes Group, a local organization established in 1994
by two local businessman, Andy Beard and Dick Dunn. The Spokes
Group, www.thespokesgroup.com, raises money to purchase,
assemble and distribute hundreds of bikes to children in
our community each year.
The Spokes Group has
given over 14,000 bikes in the last twelve years. We are
very grateful to the Spokes Group for allowing us to purchase
these bikes for our students at a reduced rate."
Excerpt from "Right Moves for Youth" Spring
2007 Newsletter.
www.rightmovesforyouth.org
SPINNING THE WHEEL
FOR A BIKE
Spokesgroup volunteer Cindy Rice of Davidson, NC cheers
on a
mom who has just spun the wheel in hopes of winning
a new bike..
2006 RIBBON CUTTING
(click to enlarge)
Andy Beard of the Spokesgroup joins
Major Todd Smith, Mayor Pat McCrory, Polly Needham of DSS
and John Roberts from the Charlotte Observer in the December
18, 2006 ribbon cutting to open the 2006 Christmas Bureau.
The Spokesgroup Recieves Generous Gift
from Benefit Auction
November 24, 2006
Jay Land and Mason Zimmerman of Pope
and Land present a check to Will Beard for the Spokesgroup
for $6000. The donations came from proceeds from an auction
of items at the Charlotte Coliseum, which is slated to
be demolished next year to make way for City Park, a 170-acre
development of residential properties, retail shops, restaurants,
offices, and walking and biking trails. Pope and Land
is the developer of City Park."
Spokes Group Provides
Bikes for Boys & Girls
Clubs Members
Bikes
Awarded for Academic Excellence
June
9, 2006
 Approximately
42 inner-city middle school students will now have a much easier
ride when biking around their neighborhoods, thanks to a donation
by the Spokes Group of new bikes. The club members briefly
tested their new rides at the Marsh Road Club alongside Major
Christine Smith and club staff.
All club members who participated were part of SMART (Skills
Mastery and Resistance Training), a program throughout the
eight clubs that stresses health & life skills. Club
staff selected the bicycle recipients based on their significant
academic perseverance and commitment to character and leadership.
Richard Dunn, on hand to help make the donation, applauded
the students’ accomplishments. “It is programs like the Boys & Girls
Clubs that provide much needed guidance and support to our
youth,” said Dunn. “These students are to be commended for
their tenacity in pursuing goals in both academic and character.”
2005
TEAM WORK RAISES FUNDS
FOR BIKES
November 2005
Both the HR and Legal departments at Wachovia Bank used bike
assembly and bike racing as team building outings. Twice they
donated 25 bikes to the Salvation Army SpokesGroup.
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