Shopping.com Corporate Bike Build Event
Hey all,
So our corporate bike build event with Shopping.com yesterday proved to be a really successful and inspiring experience. When we arrived, we had quite a chuckle pushing our overloaded dollys and trying to find the freight elevator to shlep the bikes up to the conference room. Think underground laundry facilites and maze like hallways and janitors directing us all different ways! Think Spinal Tap, think “Hello Cleveland!” Really funny, and yes, we finally found the freight elevator!
Thanks to the great direction we received from Joy the build organizer at shopping.com, we got set up really quickly. Oh yeah, and we have some experience with this kind of stuff! The employees built the bikes really fast and appeared to be having a great time doing it. Congratulations Table 15 for winning the grand prize trophy as the fastest, most efficient bike builders. Great teamwork! They only took 15 minutes to assemble all 3 of their bikes correctly! (Whew! Which one of them smuggled in a built bike or two?) We had some pedal emergencies and flat tires, but nothing the QA gurus at TWFK can’t handle.
In the end all 50 bikes rolled out of the conference room into the grand ballroom in order for 50 children from the Boys and Girls Club to find when they arrived at 5pm. Special thanks to Ellen Goodman at Variety Children’s Charities for organizing this aspect of the project and really coming through for us and for the kids!
When the kids arrived, they all started grinning ear to ear when they realized that the bicycles they were looking at were theirs to take home! Each table was responsible for 2-3 children ensuring that their bicycles were adjusted, helmets were fitted and that all around they were comfortable. Several kids were so excited they were riding around the ballroom and even in the hallway. The employees were very pleased to be able to give back and it really made a difference that they were able to see that their efforts were worthwhile though this unique 1 on 1 experience with the kids.
At the end of the event shopping.com graciously presented us with $5000 in order to help us grow and expand our program even further this year. As many of you know, we want to be able to start sponsoring bike rides with the kids we serve and we also want to facilitate bike repair clinics. With this contribution we are well on our way of achieving our goals this year! Thanks so much to all of our friends at shopping.com!!! Hope to see you all again soon! Oh and be sure to do all your online shopping at shopping.com! 
We just received this message from Joy, the event organizer over at shopping.com:
I can’t say enough times how amazing you all have been, and how happy I am with the results of yesterday’s event. I look forward to working with you both again very soon and we must must remain in touch! It is refreshing to partner with such a kind, fun, considerate and energetic group, and to do so for such a rewarding purpose.
All great stuff! Here’s to looking forward, I have bike build fever!
