Give Back to Our Active Community

by Jon Lugbill

Last week, I wrote about how fortunate we all are to live in a city with so many attributes. From our peaceful urban trails that offer awe-inspiring views of the city and James River to our growing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, our community is full of opportunity for and celebration of active living. While we’re all enjoying our favorite places and events in Richmond, however, it’s easy to forget that most of them have one thing in common – non-profits. Giving Tuesday, and each and every day for that matter, is a perfect time to give back to one of Richmond’s worthy organizations that are making our community a better place to live. Together, we can make even more progress and continue to add to Richmond’s diverse and growing opportunities for physical fitness.

Today, I encourage you to take a few moments to consider your own interests and how you can help support the non-profits that support you. If you love to trail run or mountain bike, perhaps you could consider a gift to Richmond MORE. If you’re a road runner who is always excited to toe the line at local races, Richmond Road Runners Club may be the place for your gift. If you are eager to bike, run, or walk on a dedicated multi-use trail, then consider donating to the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation. If you want to provide kids more opportunities to play and get active at school, consider supporting Fit4Kids efforts with a financial contribution. If you want minorities to learn to swim, consider a gift to SwimRVA. One of my favorite parts about Richmond is that this list could go on and on.

I will, of course, add one other organization by name here as you consider making a gift today (or any other day!). Here at Sports Backers, we count on the generosity of individuals to help us implement our programs throughout the community. Our Kids Run RVA program provides support to youth running clubs and events in the Richmond region, and more than 12,000 kids have already benefited. Our Bike Walk RVA program advocates for safe and accessible bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and this year we added $4.5 million to the City’s budget for just that. Our efforts to offer access to physical activity and to promote its many benefits to the most under-served communities in Richmond continue to gain momentum through our Active RVA programs.

This week we received a thank you note for the work we’ve been doing through our Kids Run RVA program in the Shady Hill community. This helps put our efforts and your donations that go to Sports Backers into perspective:

“Sports Backers has always been a special organization to me. I plan my yearly calendar around your races. Your commitment to extending this wonderful sport and lifestyle to our needy communities has made you even more special in my eyes, and I will wear your bibs with a new sense of honor. Without all of you, these children would likely never have had an opportunity like this. Please know that you have made a difference.”  Todd Wilson, President, Cornerstone Revitalization Center.

Donors and sponsors provide the critical financial resources necessary for our non-profit organization to carry out our programs and events that benefit the entire Richmond community. Philanthropic support is helping us to create new, more inclusive programs that are accessible, affordable (low or no cost) and tailored to the specific needs and interests of a community. From providing a child with proper athletic shoes to advocating for major bike and pedestrian infrastructure across the region, every dollar we raise makes a profound difference.

Thank you for your consideration of supporting the active community in greater Richmond.