VBT Bicycling Vacations
Country Walkers
Vermont’s largest charity bike ride set for September 8, 2012
BRISTOL, VT—VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations is the title sponsor of the 7th Annual Kelly Brush Century Ride, in Middlebury, Vermont, now the state’s largest charity bike ride and the largest hand cycling event in the Northeast.
“VBT has had a close association with the Kelly Brush Foundation’s Century Ride since its inception six years ago, and because the partnership has been so rewarding for all of us, we wanted to take it to the next level,” said VBT President Gregg Marston. “We’re proud and delighted that the name of VBT will now be so closely linked with the extraordinary Kelly Brush and the profoundly important work of her Foundation.”
VBT is giving away a trip for one to the Czech Republic as the top prize for the event’s raffle.
“We want to help in any way we can, and it starts with helping those who support the Foundation, so we’re happy to donate a vacation,” Marston said. “Kelly Brush’s exemplary life and hard work on behalf of adaptive athletes is an inspiration to everyone in the close-knit Vermont community and, really, all over the world. She’s a remarkable young woman, and we at VBT admire her very much.”
VBT’s September 9 Vermont: Champlain Valley & Islands tour coincides with the Kelly Brush Foundation Century Ride this year. “VBT travelers interested in arriving a day early can combine a philanthropic endeavor with their vacation—a win/win for everyone,” Marston said.
The Century Ride will be September 8 and start and finish at the Middlebury College Alumni Field, Route 30, in Middlebury, Vermont. Riders have their choice of 25-, 50-, or 100-mile course routes. The event closes with a ride party and a full barbecue. Online registration will close at midnight, Wednesday, September 5. Registration is allowed on the ride day from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.
Proceeds from the Century Ride go to support the Kelly Brush Foundation’s mission to:
- Improve the quality of life for individuals living with a spinal cord injury by purchasing adaptive athletic equipment for those with financial limitations
- Advocate for improving ski racing safety
- Support research to treat and cure paralysis due to traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI)
- Support the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team
On February 18, 2006, Kelly Brush hit a lift tower while competing for the Middlebury College Ski Team. Her injuries included a T 7-8 level spinal fracture, and she became paralyzed from the chest down. Within a year of her accident, her family and friends had founded the Kelly Brush Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, whose mission is to improve ski racing safety for racers at all levels and to improve the lives of other individuals living with a spinal cord injury by purchasing adaptive sporting equipment for them.
The first Kelly Brush Century Ride was a closed event with only family and friends. But the event was so successful that it became an annual tradition that is now the largest charity bike ride in Vermont. Over the following five years (2007-2011) the Kelly Brush Foundation has grown both financially and in its impact on both ski racing safety and in the lives of athletes living with a spinal cord injury.
The Foundation has purchased athletic equipment for individuals living with a spinal cord injury, including hand cycles, mono-skis, bowling and tennis chairs, and scuba diving gear. The Foundation has also purchased more than 400 miles of netting to make ski racing courses safer all across the country.
The Century Ride is the only fundraising event of the year for the Foundation. It has become the largest charity bike ride in Vermont, with more than 750 cyclists and hand cyclists participating in 2011. To learn more about the Kelly Brush Foundation and to make a donation, please visit www.kellybrushfoundation.org.
Founded in 1971 by a Middlebury College professor, VBT offers deluxe, small group bicycling and walking tours worldwide, including destinations in Europe, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, Peru, Argentina and the U.S.A. Each trip includes all accommodations, many meals, two expert local Trip Leaders, unique sightseeing and cultural activities, and full vehicle support. Unlike other companies, VBT also includes international airfare in its trip cost.
For reservations or more information, and to receive the latest 2012 catalog, call 1-800-245-3868 or log on to the company’s website at www.vbt.com.