Cycling for a Cause

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been an avid cyclist. The benefits are significant: cycling keeps me in shape and is a fantastic stress reliever. This fall, though, I will hit the road not for myself but for the kids of Camp Twin Lakes. And I'm hoping you will consider doing the same?

The seventh annual Spin for Kids will take place the weekend of Oct. 20-21 and will feature several beautiful road bike routes through Madison and Rutledge, Ga., for cyclists of all skill levels, as well as a mountain bike ride at Fort Yargo State Park. Riders will raise funds by getting sponsors to donate money to support their involvement in the ride. All of the donations will go to Camp Twin Lakes, a nonprofit organization that offers year-round therapeutic and educational camp programs throughout Georgia for children and young adults facing serious illnesses and disabilities.

The fundraising and awareness effort for this year’s Spin for Kids will begin with the Crank It Up party, which will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the SweetWater Brewery in Atlanta. Hartman Simons, the commercial real estate law firm at which I am a partner, is sponsoring the event, which will feature SweetWater beer, live music from local band Webster and Williamson Brothers’ barbecue.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door; those who purchase $60 VIP tickets also will be treated to a Happy Hour from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring beer, wine and liquor; private brewery tours; and one complimentary registration for Spin for Kids. See here for more information and to purchase tickets. 

Last year, approximately 250 people attended Crank It Up. The goal for this year’s party is 420 attendees, a familiar number to SweetWater drinkers.

One of the overriding goals of the Spin for Kids Steering Committee is to increase the number of corporate teams participating in the ride. Hartman Simons will once again have a cycling team in Spin for Kids and would welcome the addition of other riders. Corporate teams are a great way to build spirit at your company, have fun and give back to the community in the process.

Camp Twin Lakes is an incredible organization. But to continue and expand its amazing work, it needs our help. By attending the Crank It Up party or participating in Spin for Kids (or both), you and your company can enrich the lives of young people facing serious medical challenges.

I would be hard pressed to think of a more noble cause.

Andy Litvak is a partner with the Hartman Simons commercial real estate law firm and a member of the Spin for Kids Steering Committee. See here for more information on Spin for Kids and to purchase tickets for the Crank It Up party.