The Spokesgroup presented the management team at Etrade in Charlotte a "canceled check" for $8500 in honor of their support. With this corporate gift and their traditional Christmas chili cookoff, the local ETRADE office donated funds for 133 bike. The bikes were distributed to needy families at the Salvation Army Christmas Bureau.

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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" Newsletter.  
www.rightmovesforyouth.org

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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..

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 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

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The Spokesgroup Recieves Generous Gift from Benefit Auction

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."

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Spokes Group Provides Bikes for Boys & Girls Clubs Members                        
Bikes Awarded for Academic Excellence

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.”

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TEAM WORK RAISES FUNDS FOR BIKES

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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