The Cyclemasters perform many charitable functions for the SaddleBrooke community.
You may have seen this group of bicyclists riding the SaddleBrooke streets in their colorful yellow jerseys. The club consists of nearly 200 members and rides both inside and outside of SaddleBrooke three days or more a week. They join together on Saturdays, riding as a club function, with three different speeds and mileage inside SaddleBrooke. Most of the riders will stay for breakfast and enjoy the comradeship after the hour long ride.
But do you know them as an active support club having served the community for over 20 years? Some of these services you may be aware of, yet others you may have never heard of.
For over 20 years the Cyclemasters have proudly supported the Adopt a Highway cleanup program and have picked up trash along SaddleBrooke Boulevard out to Oracle Road.
Annually, during our Dinner Dance Party, we have collected hundreds of pounds of canned food and donated thousands of dollars to the Catalina Community Resource Center.
We support the San Manuel and Mammoth school systems by donating new high end bicycles to the K-6 grades, where students are chosen by their teachers to receive these bikes based on high levels of accomplishments. This has amounted to thousands of dollars in donations from the Cyclemasters.
We support the local schools and fire department in assisting with the local bike rodeos, teaching bike safety and also donating helmets.
For nearly 20 years the Cyclemasters have delivered the SaddleBrooke Progress newspaper to your mail tubes. This requires over a hundred members to unload, bundle and deliver the papers. During the summer months many members need to double up on the duties to ensure the paper is delivered on time.
Another annual event we support is the Tucson Marathon where we man a water station for the runners, passing out cups of water when they run past us. We also have a bike patrol helping the runners if they need anything. We have supported this event for over 15 years, requiring more than 30 people to provide the needed services.
For years the club has had a program that records the miles that each member rode that month. It was associated with a fundraising program to benefit children who needed dental care. We called it Miles for Smiles and found sponsors to help us raise funds based upon our total miles. The money raised was given to El Rio Health System who used it to benefit many needy children. The years we were associated with Miles for Smiles we helped donate over $25,000. Many of our members continue to support this program on their own.
So next time you see our club riding through your neighborhood, remember what we are all about! We love to ride for fun, fitness and food as our motto states, but we also love helping out our community!