Need Cycling Clothes for Girls

[Kenneth Walker]

Ladies,

I got an email from both Lorri Lee Lown and Mimi Boothy, in reference to the clothing donations you all have made to the Wheels Can Take Me Places Project I am working on here in Kansas City. As both my honor and integrity are on the line, know that both are important to me and the work that I try and do, so I wanted to address your inquiries and concerns. I have much appreciation for you all, and the hundreds of others who have followed your lead- and I want to do whatever I need to do to make sure that those who feel slighted have no bad feelings in their effort to help this project.

First, let me say that perhaps one of you could be designated as a contact person with whom I can communicate with to keep you all updated on the project you have donated to. I have posted, since February 2009, both my own personal thanks, updates and pictures- all about your specific donations, on my website, www.UrbanKCcc.com , so that you can actually see and hear about the excitement generated when the kids recieved equipment. I mention Team Estrogen BY NAME, as it would not be feasible to list every name of every person. PLEASE, take a look and see the pics of kids receiving and wearing equipment donated by your group. I also have made sure to post information about the Team Estrogen donations, along with pictures, on Facebook, sharing it with my 1,630+ Facebook friends across the country and world. I'll bet that if you have friends on Facebook that are cyclists, some of them have heard about it.

I feel like I should explain myself. While some people have the impression that I am the lead of a very large organization, that is not the case. I am a guy whose family has allowed him to retire from the world of regular employment to pursue working in the community with youth, using cycling as the catylst. In those efforts, people like yourself, for no other reason other than to help out, have worked with me, just as you have, to provide the best of situations for youth, in becoming involved with cycling.

In the time since I received your donations, I have given away 15 brand new bicycles to youth, I also have two other cycling programs at two other schools going at the same time. Also, I serve on the Bike/Ped Advisory Committee for my city, am the Missouri State Ambassador for the League of American Bicyclists, and am training and racing in my second season. I am also the father of 4 children and my first grandson arrived just two days ago. My point being, I have much going on, so please forgive me for not being in a position to respond to each of you individually.

Also, I am not, nor is the Urban Kansas City Community of Cycling, a not-for-profit organization. There are those of you that have asked for a reciept from me, I am assuming for tax purposes, however, a reciept from me would mean little, if anything, if that is the intent.

While you all have been very kind in sending clothing and equipment to Kansas City, and I appreciate that, and made sure to respond to you all in this very forum, you need to know and understand that the donations are not really being made to Kenneth Walker, but to Scuola Vita Nouvea and their students. The agreement between myself and the school is that I would be the receiver of donations, making sure that they get the donations and donor information, and they would respond to each of you, with a handwritten letter from one of the kids, thanking you. And really, I would think that you all would agree that that is how it should be done.

I know for a fact that some of you have been sent letters, and I would speculate that more will be received...as I stated before, this is the agreement I have with the school and also part of the programming in the project. We are talking about a teacher and group of 7th grade children, at a charter school in the urban core of Kansas City, that knows nothing about cycling, the significance of your donations or the clothing they have received. They are however, starting to realize how big of a thing it is.

Trust me when I say that I am diligent in making sure that they get the info on not just your donations, but the many other donations that have come in. In my conversations with the teacher, she assures me that all donations will be acknowledged. Also, I have mentioned the issue of reciepts for those who have asked, which I think is only one person, however I am not sure how they will handle that. I do know that the school is a not-for-profit organization.

What I will do is to have another discussion with the school and the students. I will do my best to speed up the process so that you will be acknowledge by them for your donations in a more timely manner.

Again, if you could designate someone whom I could funnel updates and pics to, I could make sure that you all are assured that equipment is being used. Also, every person that has donated, if you give that person your contact information, I will personally take the time to send each of you an acknowledgement of such and if you want it, a receipt for every peice of clothing or equipment. Despite my agreement with the school, I feel that this is my fault and want to do whatever it takes to make you all feel better about it.

Best Regards,
Kenneth Walker

[Biciclista]

I have pictures; I'll post them in a few hours!