Nine13sports_Announces_First_Individual_Match_Grant_Donation
Indianapolis, IN ─ September 13, 2012 ─ Local youth-focused, cycling-related health and wellness nonprofit Nine13sports is thrilled to announce its first benefactor in its Community Fundraising Challenge. A significant donation has been received from Andy Ording, the previous owner of Indianapolis-based Zipp Speed Weaponry.
“Nine13sports is devoted to several objectives that are important to me,” Ording comments when asked about his financial endorsement of the organization. “We share a mutual passion for all things cycling. My life’s business revolved around the world of cycling and they use the bicycle as a powerful and educational fitness tool. Kids experience something new, fun and useful through the Nine13sports’ cycling-based programs.”
Ording adds, “The donation is my way of helping to sustain the growth and success of this new and innovative nonprofit organization. Nine13sports has turned its passion for cycling and youth fitness into a leading-edge business—something that I appreciate given my own business roots.”
“Andy is a storied asset in the local and international cycling community,” says Tom Hanley, Director of Business Development for Nine13sports. “He built an extraordinary company by analyzing various aspects of the cycling industry and forging new and better methods of supporting that industry. Andy’s method of success is much like the daily attitudes and passions of the Nine13sports’ management team.”
Hanley further explains, “The generous commitment from Andy Ording was contingent on Nine13sports’ ability to devise and implement a cohesive marketing plan that targets Indiana’s extensive cycling network. Andy directly challenged us to sharpen our marketing and fundraising focus to gain increased support from our community’s well-established cycling fraternity.”
Ording’s generous contribution is in response to the Hanley family’s grant-matching challenge initiated in July. The Hanleys pledged $25,000 to Nine13sports and challenged the Central Indiana community to match their contribution with other donations to raise a total of $250,000. Nine13sports has focused its fundraising on obtaining nine $25,000 community partner contributions to match the Hanley $25,000 pledge. In addition, the organization is grateful for the charitable accumulation of grassroots support it is receiving in response to the Hanley story. Nine13sports hopes to raise one of the $25,000 matched gifts through the accumulation of funds from its grassroots campaign.
The matching grant-challenge initially emerged from Lauren and Tom Hanley’s recent settlement of litigation with The Mavris Arts & Entertainment Center for their June 5, 2010 wedding day tragedy. The venue’s shuttle bus, carrying the Hanley wedding party, ran a red light and crashed, killing Tom’s best friend Jim Douglas, as well as seriously injuring Tom and causing minor injuries to the wedding party. The pledge and community fundraising challenge to support Nine13sports helps the Hanley couple continue to heal from this tragedy by allowing them to use it to advocate a positive influence on the community.
“My support as a Nine13sports’ benefactor allows me to stand with the Hanley family in honoring Jim Douglas,” shares Ording. “Jim was a close friend and employee of mine when I owned Zipp.”
“On a personal level,” Hanley says, “My wife, Lauren, and I are touched that the Ording family is willing to support our philanthropic challenge. I can’t think of a better way to share the cycling and business passions of our lost friend Jim. Nine13sports’ programs engage and educate at-risk youth involving the industry he loved so much.”
Nine13sports is currently in discussions with several foundations and corporate entities. It anticipates it will announce additional partners in this fundraising initiative over the next several weeks. The organization
hopes that the financial endorsement it received from Andy Ording will motivate others in the Central Indiana community and cycling industry to become avid supporters of the Nine13sports’ mission—a mission to promote fitness, community, teamwork and mutual respect for one another through the art and sport of cycling.
About Nine13sports:
Indy Velo (dba Nine13sports) is a Central Indiana 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes health, wellness, and exercise for local youth between the ages of 8 and 18, using bicycling as the gateway. We have created a unique program in which we have integrated the traditional bicycle with technology to provide a turnkey product for youth programs, schools and other community organizations at no cost to them. In addition to individual betterment of health and fitness, our programs promote community, teamwork and mutual respect for one another. Our vision is to use the art and sport of cycling to teach and positively influence our participants and leave a lasting impact. For additional information please visit www.nine13sports.org or email info@nine13sports.org.
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