Submitted by Bike for LIFE

Compiled by Mandi Johnson

Imagine if you could make a lasting impact on the lives and future health of Lopez children. What if you could help Lopez children do better in school, have great outdoor experiences, and form positive habits that would stay with them into adulthood? Now imagine you can do all these things at an event filled with music, fun and bikes.

The first annual “Bike for LIFE” event will be held at the Lopez School track from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the same day as the Tour de Lopez, Saturday, April 23. Planning is currently underway for the fundraising event to benefit the LIFE Garden Program (Lopez Island Farm Education at the Lopez School.

“This is a critical fundraising piece to the sustainability of our award winning and highly utilized school garden,” said Dixie Budke, school board member who has helped to coordinate the event. “Our school garden program is fragile without local support.”

Students at Lopez Elementary are forming teams in their multi-age homeroom classes and decorating their bikes according to animal themes. Kids and adults alike are encouraged to bring bikes and helmets and ride either the Lopez track, walk on the LIFE Fitness and Ecology Trail on the school campus. Guests and family members with Tour de Lopez are welcome to attend the event, which include food booths, music performances, walking, biking, baby animals and “pet a chicken.”

Additionally, information regarding the Great Islands Cleanup which is being held on the same day, as well as the Procession of the Species will be provided to help celebrate ecology, biodiversity, wellness, community and sustainability.

Organizers of the event are working in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce, the Lopez Island Conservation Corps, Bureau of Land Management, Great Islands Cleanup and the Lopez School. Additional supporters include Lopez Island Trails Network and the Resilient Lopez/Climate Change Action Group.

The Bike for LIFE event was inspired by Lopez resident, Kay Keeler. Five years ago, Keller celebrated her 75th birthday by riding in the Tour de Lopez. Additionally, she used the event to raise money for the LIFE Garden Program by forming a team and gaining sponsorship. Ultimately, Keeler’s team raised $6,000 for the Lopez Island School’s garden.

To celebrate her 80th birthday, Keeler is returning with her team again this year. Keeler hopes to inspire others to use this model she’s developed to get fit, have fun, build community and raise funds to help the LIFE Garden program to continue. Programs like LIFE often have to depend on donations to cover half their budget.

The overall funding goal is to raise $1 per student per day, reflecting the year round work that goes on in the garden. The garden program received a private ten-year start-up donation beginning in 2006; now that the program is firmly established, the Bike for LIFE annual event has been developed to help provide sustainable funding to continue the LIFE Program, and to give the students a way to show their support by riding and walking.

Funds raised from the Bike for Life helps provide fresh fruits and vegetables for school lunches and snacks; staff to plant, maintain and harvest the garden with students’ participation; kitchen staff to clean, prepare and serve the healthy food grown in the garden;support for teachers to incorporate garden education into the classroom, and a coordinator to help with volunteers, curriculum and fundraising.

This nationally-acclaimed garden program helps ensure our children eat healthier every day. Studies show: well-nourished children learn better, have better cognition and retention; nutritious eating at a young age helps develop lifelong healthy habits.

“The LIFE program encompasses the Lopez School garden as well as farm to school education,” said Budke. “Our kids are healthy and robust thanks, in part, to the organic vegetables grown in the school garden and served in the school breakfast and lunch offerings.”

The goal of Bike for LIFE is to encourage participants to set goals, make pledges, seek sponsors and track miles spent biking, walking and running prior to, and the day of, the event. Lopez Island School administrators, Brian Auckland and Dave Sather, have expressed their appreciation of this event as it helps to promote the goal of the school’s wellness policy. The Lopez School Wellness Policy works by combining exercise with the nutrition available to students at school, which is enhanced by produce from the LIFE Program school garden.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate.

If you’re wanting to assist the Bike for LIFE coordinators by volunteering, there are a variety of ways you can do that. Starting at 8:30 a.m., you can help set up for the event. You could also help with tabling, passing out materials and food, assisting in games and activities or even help with clean up afterward.

“The LIFE / garden program is at a critical juncture. It must be self-sustaining to continue,” said Budke. “Island neighbors are encouraged to support the BIKE FOR LIFE event as it is the first annual major fundraiser for the sustainability of this program.”

For more information, visit www.bikeforlifelopez.com. You can also call Michele Heller 468-3618 or email micheleheller@mac.com.