Sales for Trails

Posted on Monday, October 22, 2012

We love our supporters—every single one of them. Big or small, each donation makes a significant impact on developing and maintaining our trail network. That said, we have a special place in our hearts for those individuals and organizations who not only contribute year after year, but also help get the word out to others. Summit City Bicycles & Fitness is one of those special organizations.

For the past four years, Summit City Bicycles & Fitness has sponsored a fundraising event on behalf of Fort Wayne Trails. Held annually in September, the event caters to bicycling and fitness consumers of all levels with great deals on bikes, merchandise and equipment, with a percent of revenue going toward bicycling advocacy and bicycling facilities. This includes support for mountain biking, national biking initiatives like Bikes Belong, and Fort Wayne Trails and its predecessor organizations. As a result of this year’s Sales for Trails event alone, Summit City Bicycles & Fitness donated $8,100 to Fort Wayne Trails.

In addition to its Sales for Trails event, Fort Wayne Trails also benefits from Summit City’s regular presence as a sponsor of FWT events. In 2012, Summit City has sponsored our Trail Mixer, the Pufferbelly 5K, and several Trek the Trails rides.

When asked why Summit City works so diligently on behalf of the trails, Bob Mann, President/Owner, said this:

"We want to keep giving back what the trails do for the bicycling business. People want places to ride safely, and the trails make the community a better place for everyone, so it’s important for us to give back what the trails do for us. More trails equal more sales for businesses like ours, so we can’t think of a better way to enhance the community that supports our business."

Bob also noted that this kind of thinking is spreading through the cycling community as a whole, which he noticed in particular at a recent national conference. The CEO of Trek Bicycles gave a speech that really stuck with Bob, noting how important it is for bicycle businesses to serve as advocates and to give back to their communities.

Summit City’s contribution will help fund projects like the Pufferbelly Trail phase I, which stretches from Lawton Park to Fernhill. When completed, (projected for 2014-2015, provided FWT can raise the needed $400K in matching funds—click HERE for more info), it will extend past Summit City’s backyard, just west of Lima Road.

The efforts of Summit City Bicycles & Fitness on behalf of the trails ultimately benefit the entire community. Next time you’re in the area, stop by and say thanks. Bob and his team deserve it!

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