Movement is vital to the physical and mental health of the children at The Sun Valley Youth Center. Cycling helps kids focus on schoolwork (which is especially challenging in its current remote format), release frustrations and anxiety, stay physically fit, and brings them so much joy.The Sun Valley neighborhood has a long history of crime, poverty and low academic performance. Community and civic leaders, residents, and service providers performed a comprehensive neighborhood assessment in 1999 to determine the root causes of these marginal outcomes. Findings revealed that the greatest need—and greatest opportunity to make a sustained difference—was to offer youth services. The Sun Valley Youth Center was born in 1999 as a result of these findings. Founded by a church and other key community stakeholders, the Sun Valley Youth Center is a faith-based organization that serves youth in Sun Valley regardless of their socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or religion.
Over the years, cycling has become one of the go-to activities and the BEST part of 2020 for the kids at Sun Valley Youth Center.
Whether it's been a ride around the block, a ride to a local ice cream shop, cultivating a state biking champ (which they DID!) or watching our kids learn to ride further than they ever had before.
Due to COVID-19, the gym that they use for cycling in the winter has permanently closed. They had to pivot so they are creating their own indoor cycling studio onsite!
They needed hydraulic bike trainers so that they can provide indoor cycling during inclement weather and the shorter daylight hours at this time of year. The Fundraising Director reached out to Denver Lions and we delivered. We purchased the first of the 16 trainers they hoped for and suggested that they contact all the other local service clubs to secure the rest. That is exactly what their highly motivated staff did and within a week the rest of the trainers were funded.
This is the power of service and connection in action. Way to go Lions!