The following is an excerpt from the Nine13sports 2017 Year End Report. The full report can be found at the conclusion of this post…
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Nine13sports started as my vision and dream and I first put pen to napkin to begin sketching out what it would look like all the way back in 2011. I laugh at those days of development and reflect on the first few years of actual school programs that began in February of 2012 and how clumsy they were as I tried to figure out equipment, curriculum, funding, and how to turn this from vision into something that could sustainably grow.
These last few years have been beyond humbling. I have been fortunate to celebrate some of the highest and lowest points of my life alongside my staff, our school partners, and the entire Indianapolis community. It has been through these highs and lows that I have an appreciation for what I fight to improve and serve every single day; the great city of Indianapolis and the entire Central Indiana region.
We are fortunate that our corporate partners have continued to see value and increase support of our programs, that the philanthropic and grantmaking communities have recognized our growth trajectory, and that we continue to focus on sustainable and long-term growth that provides stability for our organization and allows us to best serve our community.
There is not a day that goes by that I am not humbled by the privilege to serve thousands of youth across Central Indiana. There is not a week that goes by that I don’t get goosebumps and must wipe tears from my eyes in reaction to seeing a student master the art of pedaling a bicycle for the first time or by being overwhelmed with appreciation for the generosity of those that allow us to operate.
I have visited retail outlets of some of our corporate partners in more than a dozen states this year to thank their staff for their commitment to creating a healthier and more fit next generation through the power of two wheels. My staff and I have sent out more than 2,000 thank you notes this year to those that help make Kids Riding Bikes possible. We have already started to schedule for the 2018-2019 school year due to the demand of our programs.
The entirety of our impact is because of you. For you. With you. Alongside you. It is to benefit the youth in some of the areas that need it the most.
I do not take any day for granted and I truly believe I am the lucky one—my staff, the students, our sponsors, donors, and supporters, the incredible kids that I interact with; it is an honor to do what we do, and I strive to make sure that is reflected in every program, every student interaction, and every thank you that Nine13sports is part of.
“Be Kind. Judge Less. Hold the Door.” and “If not now, when?” are not just two great pieces of wisdom left behind by one of our loudest advocates, Denver Hutt, but what we strive to demonstrate to students daily.
Thank you for an incredible 2017.
Tom Hanley
CEO, Nine13sports
Below you can find our full 2017 Year End Report: