Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota Honored as 2013 Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Beneficiary

Proceeds to support funding efforts for new children’s hospice and respite
facility serving Minnesotan families

For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Charles Grothaus, C2 Communications
[email protected] • 612-770-0026

David LaPorte, Nature Valley Bicycle Festival
[email protected] • tel 651.398.3235

May 8, 2013 – Minneapolis – For the second consecutive year, Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota will be the charitable beneficiary of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival, June 6-16. The Festival is an 11-day
celebration of bicycling that includes amateur and professional bike racing, children’s fun races, cycling expos, and community events. Proceeds from the Festival will be presented to Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a children's hospice and respite care home in the Twin Cities to serve children with a shortened life-expectancy and their families. When completed, it will be the fourth home of its kind in the entire United States.

"It's an honor to be selected once again as the charitable beneficiary of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival. We are excited to be part of this fantastic community celebration of cycling that includes professional and amateur racing and a range of fun family activities," said Katie Lindenfelser, Executive Director of Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota. "We are thankful for Nature Valley Bicycle Festival's support and partnership in helping to create awareness of the Children's Lighthouse mission to bring the first hospice home for children in the Midwest to fruition right here in the Twin Cities."

There are more than 4,700 hospice homes for adults in the United States, but only three for children. It is estimated that there are nearly 9,000 families in Minnesota alone caring for a child who has a shortened life-expectancy, requiring around-the-clock care and unpredictable hospitalizations, which means little to no breaks for parents serving as the child's primary caregiver.

"Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota continues to be a great fit with the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival," said Festival director David LaPorte. "Innovation is core to our mission of reinventing bicycle racing and we feel Children's Lighthouse is an innovative organization as well. We are excited to partner in an effort to help them build awareness of their mission and support their fundraising efforts as they work to make a huge difference in the lives of precious children and families in our community."

Each year, the Festival attracts approximately 50,000 spectators of all ages. Events include:

  • Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic – Thursday, June 6 – Saturday, June 8: National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine. Come and watch the fun as racers compete without brakes in a steeply-banked oval cycling track!
  • St. Paul Time Trial and Criterium – Wednesday, June 12: Time trial in the morning; criterium in the evening (28 laps women, 40 laps men) in downtown St. Paul, including a downtown Expo which opens at 4 p.m., and kids’ fun race at 7:15 p.m.
  • Cannon Falls Road Race – Thursday evening, June 13: Expo opens at 4:30 p.m. followed by 74-mile road races for men and women. Kids’ fun race at 6 p.m.
  • Uptown Minneapolis Criterium – Friday evening, June 14: Expo opens at 4:30 p.m. followed by a.9 kilometer city course past Calhoun Square with six tight corners and speeds up to 35-plus MPH (30 laps women, 40 laps men). Kids’ fun race at 7:15 p.m.
  • Menomonie Road Race, WI – Saturday, June 15: A full day of family-fun activities, amateur and pro bike racing and spectator rides.
    • The Menomonie Gran Fondo (89-, 70-, 59-mile options), on the same roads the pros will
      race on later in the day. Gran Fondo rides begin at 9 a.m. Registrations benefit Children's Lighthouse.
    • Expo open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Pro Men (101 miles) start at Noon and Pro Women (76 miles) at 1:30 p.m.
    • Pack your bike and helmet and join us for the Kids' fun race at 4 p.m.
    • NEW THIS YEAR: Bus Tour – watch the Pros fly by at five different viewing points along the scenic route!
    • 15- and 32-Mile Spectator Rides, also benefiting Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota, depart at 11 a.m. Please join us for these events and spread the word to others who may have interest in participating!
  • Stillwater Criterium – Sunday, June 16: This grand finale and signature event has an international reputation as the hardest criterium course in North America. Every lap includes a trek up the steep Chilkoot Hill and descents reach 45-miles per hour! Expo opens at 10:30 a.m. followed by amateur races, Women's Pro/Elite Race (13 laps), Kids' fun race (12:45 p.m.) and Men's Pro/Elite Races (20 laps). It wraps up with the final Nature Valley Grand Prix awards ceremony.

 

More than 100 volunteers are needed each day as the festival transforms city streets into race-ready courses in less than three hours. To learn more about the Festival, visit www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com. To volunteer on behalf of Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota, signup on Volunteer Spot at http://vols.pt/qdj6fU.

About Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota
The mission of Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota is to create the first residential children’s hospice and respite care home in the Midwest, providing respite and end‐of‐life care to children with a shortened life‐expectancy and their families. By offering medical, psychosocial and spiritual care services in an environment designed specifically for children and families – our caring staff and volunteers will serve as a beacon of hope, light and peace to families in need within our community. Children’s Lighthouse is a non‐profit 501(C)(3). Learn more at www.ChildrensLighthouseMn.org.