News

VVCC and SRRTF's Presidents, Marty Glinsky and Kevin Adams, discussed the VVCC and SRRTF's activities at today's OLLI Lunch and Learn. After the event, OLLI Facilitator, Dr. Paul Friedman, sent the following:

"I was delighted to see that your L&L session was of such widespread interest that it attracted a roomful of people--and they were so intrigued by what you had to say that many stayed late to chat with you.

It was remarkably informative and engaging.  I had no idea that the VVCC has grown so much and has such a wide range of activities, or that the VVTF has made such big strides in its fund-raising efforts."

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Verde Valley and Sedona is a self-directed membership organization within Yavapai College. It has been created to meet the needs and interests of retirement-age people. The Institute recognizes the unique experiences and capabilities of its members by emphasizing and encouraging peer learning, member participation, collaborative leadership and social interaction. Lively discussions, plus experiential opportunities in personal growth, cultural and environmental explorations provide members a rich, continuing educational experience.

When the Festival gates were open at 9AM every morning, riders were rushing to 1) Buy Raffle Tickets or 2) Get their demo bikes?

When 8+ inches of snow fell on February 21-22, the prospects of a having a 2019 Sedona MTB Festival were bleak. But where Mother Nature giveth, she also takes away as the temperatures warmed, the Forest Service gave the go ahead and the Festival began on time!

Leading up to the Festival, the VVCC partnered with the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund on a combined raffle with ticket sales online during the month of February and onsite at the Festival. The raffle alone raised over $16,000 with the Giant bike giveaway a big draw.

Beer token sales and tips generated another ~$4,300 in trail contributions.

Exhibitors also got in the act with 510 selling hats to benefit our trails and Bike Magazine sponsoring Saturday night's film showing with those combined proceeds - ~$2,000 -  all going to the trails.

VVCC VP Dan Blaettler (L) and Prez Marty Glinsky (R) looking pleased at the Festival's fundraising results are being tallied

A very successful Sedona MTB Festival is now in the books. Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and/or purchased raffle tickets.

From left to right - Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarity, SRRTF President/VVCC Treasurer Kevin Adams, Sedona Chamber President Jennifer Wesselhoff, SRRTF Director Scott McFeely, SRRTF Treasurer Liz Sweeney, Sedona Chamber Immediate Past Chairman Lonnie Little, Sedona Chamber Chairman and SRRTF Board Member Stephanie Giesbrecht and Chamber Director Mike Herman

At a ceremony today celebrating a partnership geared towards Sedona's trail maintenance, sustainability and expansion the Sedona Chamber of Commerce presented $100,000 to the SRRTF. This contribution was made possible through the Sedona Trail Keepers - 35 local businesses that contribute $1,000 annually for trail maintenance that is matched by the Chamber thru the bed tax. Additionally, $30,000 is earmarked to Western Gateway construction.

 

The VVCC has been working closely with the Sedona MTB Festival organizers and the Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, on a plan to maximize Festival attendees’ trail experience and minimize trail impact as a result of last week’s snowfall. 

The Festival shuttle drivers will only take registered riders to trail heads where trail conditions support mountain bike use. There will be a large trail status board at the Festival - similar to those at ski resorts – providing up to date trail conditions. The Red Rock Bike Patrol will also be placing recommended closure signs at certain trailheads, if determined to be necessary by the RRRD prior to the festival. 

At check in, riders will be advised of trail status and reminded of the following information daily:

Respect your local trail builders and be a good steward of the physical environment. Keep singletrack single by staying on the trail. Practice Leave No Trace principles. Do not ride muddy trails because it causes rutting, widening and maintenance headaches. Ride through standing water, not around it. Ride (or walk) technical features, 

Riders who have a specific trail in mind they want to ride will be encouraged to ask at the registration booth, the Forest Service booth, or in the shuttle pit for advice on current conditions.

There will be plenty to do at the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival even if some trails are wet. There is live music everyday, a killer beer garden, food trucks and one of the largest expos at any festival. 

Thank you,

VVCC Board

Anyone know when/where this was published?

Dear Fellow VVCC members,

In case you don’t know me let me introduce myself. My name is Heather Parris. I’ve lived in Cottonwood since 2007 and have been a member of the VVCC since 2007/8 and served on the board as secretary for 4 years.

I started Chain Reaction in January of 2017. My endeavors began after a question was asked of me - “could the homeless use bikes?”. I thought that if a homeless person had a bike to get to a job interview and then to a job, what a huge difference it would make in their life. After putting several posts on Facebook asking for unwanted bicycles and rounding up a few generous volunteers to repair the bikes I made my first donation to Angie Lozano of Angie’s House. Chain Reaction was born.

For the past going on 2 years, I’ve had the privilege of donating bicycles to those without any transportation in the Verde Valley and beyond through Chain Reaction. I’ve been working with Catholic Charities providing bicycles to our area homeless vets. We’ve donated bicycles to Angies’s House in Cottonwood, as well as the Sedona Area Homeless Alliance. We’ve provided bicycles to women in need through the Verde Valley Sanctuary. All together Chain Reaction has donated nearly 100 bikes to those in Northern AZ with no means of transportation.

The VVCC has been an incredible help! Shout out to Kevin Adams for his help in obtaining Chain Reaction's 501c3 as well as helping Chain Reaction become an AZ Qualifying Charitable Organization for tax credit purposes. Rick Leever has also been a tremendous help with providing monies through the VVCC to help pay for the repairs to the bikes Chain Reaction receives. Another wonderful angel of the VVCC has donated over $200.00 of his own money to help as well. Chain Reaction couldn’t do it without this help. Many friends and family have given to Chain Reaction even though many of them don’t even live in AZ. I am thanked continuously for the work that Chain Reaction is doing.

I’m reaching out at this time because I need your help. I work full-time to pay bills and overtime to run Self Propelled Tours and Chain Reaction so my time to seek out sponsors, grants and donations is very limited (it turns out I am NOT Superwoman!) Chain Reaction needs your financial assistance as I feel Chain Reaction is slipping from my grasp. I cannot afford to continue to dip into household monies to support Chain Reaction.

I’m asking today for you to search your heart and your pockets to generously give to Chain Reaction at this time to ensure that it is able to continue to help our area friends and neighbors who need transportation. I have placed donation boxes at Verde Valley Bicycle Company and Absolute Bikes. You can donate through our website, www.chainreactionaz.org, or Chain Reaction's Facebook page. You can also mail a check to Chain Reaction at 1639 S. Broken Rock Dr., Cottonwood, AZ 86326. 

All donations made prior to April 15th can be applied for tax credit on your 2018 AZ State Tax Return. Chain Reaction's QCO Code is 21024.  

If you have a bicycle to donate please call me at 928-274-3109.

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! Chain Reaction is changing lives and you can help!

Heather Parris

Executive Director/Founder of Chain Reaction

heather@chainreactionaz.org

Please join the Sedona Trail Keeper annual donation event to celebrate a partnership geared towards Sedona's trail maintenance, sustainability and expansion.

On Thursday, February 28 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Girder Trailhead at the Sedona Cultural Park, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce will donate $70,000 to the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund, thanks to Sedona Trail Keeper’s incredible long-term generosity.

At this event the chamber is also going to acknowledge the Bike Fix-It station sponsors and will award a $30,000 check for the Western Gateway Project.

Join us in celebrating tourism dollars put into action.

SedonaChamber.com | VisitSedona.com

Two Western Gateway workdays in 48 hours attracted over 100 volunteers from all over the Verde Valley and Flagstaff. These volunteers constructed over 1.5 miles of new trail - Outer Limits - lopped overgrowth on Ledge-n-Airy and performed rock work on Girdner. When not building trail, these same volunteers consumer 40 pizzas, 50 twelve ounce cans of Lagunitas and 4 dozen cookies.

At $22.63/hour, the 400 volunteer hours were valued at just over $9,000!

Thank you to Justin Inglis of REI for bring raffle prizes for the volunteers and arranging for over 20 volunteers from Flagstaff including the 17-20 Gear Girls.

With two volunteer workdays cancelled due to the government shutdown, volunteers from all over the United States made the effort to attend the 1st 2019 Western Gateway Volunteer workday. 

Many of the volunteers at today's workday

Specialized is in town with a dealer event and over 20 Specialized dealers and employees from all over the United States decided to give a little back. Justin Ingles from REI raffled off several prizes and the volunteers appreciated the Famous Pizza and Lagunitas beer at the après.

With such a large contingent of volunteers, over 1 mile of new trail was constructed and much of Ledge-n-Airy received trail corridor lopping and trimming.

Photo courtesy of Bret Edstrom

On January 23, 2019, two four-person youth crews from the American Conservation Experience (ACE) began eight weeks of construction efforts on the Western Gateway. The ACE effort is funded by a National Forest Foundation (NFF) matching award grant awarded to the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund and mountain biker contributions from all over the Verde Valley, State of Arizona and United States that helped the VVCC raise the required NFF grant match. The ACE crews are working on the Girdner re-route along with several new miles of trail added to the system should be completed in time for the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival that begins on March 1, 2019.