Guanaride and Wheels4Life donate fifteen new bikes in Costa Rica
“Thank you Manuel Bustelo, and the folks from the Guanaride Race in Costa Rica and DHL Costa Rica for making this project real”
The seventh Guanaride edition took place between the 24th and 28th June. This is a five stage endurance race, which is gaining international recognition for it’s state of the art organization and beautiful single tracks through the Costa Rican rainforest and pristine Pacific beaches. Since the very first edition, Guanaride has been committed to give back to the community by either providing funding to conservation projects or helping those who needed the most.
Wheels4Life and Guanaride agreed by the end of year 2008 to cooperate with each other and run a pilot project to donate brand new bicycles to elementary school students. By carefully following W4L guidelines, the bicycles recipients where chosen based on their needs to use a bicycle to get to school. At the same time, good marks and commitment to excellence where also taken into account.
As a result, fifteen students from twelve schools received new bicycles as well as new helmets and reflective t-shirts that helped them to ride their new bikes safely (safety items donated by www.aconvivir.org). These schools are all located close by Guanaride 400 km course.
Guanaride will monitor the use of these bikes by staying in touch with the School Directors. The information provided by these last ones will help Guanaride to promote the use of the bicycle to get students back to school.
The Costa Rican community, Guanaride and Wheels4Life are eager to continue working together in order to provide more bicycles during the coming years. The race participants and staff acknowledge that while they use the bikes for fun, entertainment and a mean to practice sports, there are still several hundred thousands kids who use bicycles as an essential method of transportation to get them to school.
Guanaride wishes to thank Hans Rey for his great and wonderful help with the donation, as well as DHL Costa Rica for helping transporting the bikes into this country.
Credits: Text and pictures by Manuel Bustelo (www.manuelbustelo.com)
List of Schools that received a bicycle
1. Moracia School (Stage 1)
2. Corazon de Jesus School (Stage 1)
3.Nuevo Colón School (Stage 2).
4. Potrero School (Stage 2).
5. Matapalo School (Stage 2).
6. Marbella School (Stage 3).
7. Esperanza de Garza School (Stage 3).
8. Garza School (Stage 3).
9. Barco Quebrado School (Stage 3).
10. Santa Marta School (Stage 4).
11. San Pedro School (Stage 4).
12.San Francisco de Coyote School (Stage 4).
