The Cypress Youth Fund, the exclusively philanthropic arm of the Sea Otter Classic, will sustain its mission in 2007 to benefit communities in the areas of youth, sport, education, and environment. Lately, the CYF has reached into its deep pockets to place particular emphasis on programs that combat the silent epidemic of childhood obesity by encouraging youth participation in sport and recreation. It should come as no surprise that cycling in particular can be enjoyed as a lifelong activity that supports a healthy life. The Sea Otter Classic will be held April 12-15, 2007 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA.
“I'm amazed. First of all, that this area is becoming a center for bicycling,” said La Mesa Elementary School Principal Bob Miller, who has volunteered at Sea Otter for the past three years on behalf of La Mesa's PTA. “The kids see it on TV or in the news, so the kids start saying, 'There's this really famous event here and my school is involved with it!' It is just another way for our families to get involved with the community and for our children to also see the connection of community involvement.”
Beneficiaries of the 2007 Cypress Youth Fund include the Bicycle Equestrian Trail Assistance (BETA); Carmel Valley Triathlon Club; Defense Language Institute; Fleet Numeric-US Navy; Golden State BMX; La Mesa Elementary School PTA; Marine Officer's Spouse Club; Monterey Bay Teen Challenge; Monterey Off-Road Cycling Association; North Monterey County High School; Palmer College of Chiropractic West; San Benancio 4-H Club; and the Velo Club Monterey.
To qualify as a recipient of the CYF, applicants must pledge a quantity of volunteer hours to the event. The Sea Otter Classic places a monetary value on those hours and once those hours are fulfilled, the Sea Otter Classic, Inc. makes a contribution to the applicant's organization. Now how easy is that?
“The enthusiasm shown to the Sea Otter Classic by the communities of Salinas and Monterey led to the creation of the Cypress Youth Fund in 2004,” said Frank Yohannan, president and CEO of the Sea Otter Classic. “Now, by focusing on children's causes in the areas of sport, education, health and environment, we have found ways to do more than just write a check. Sea Otter's school outreach program, Kids' Bike Rodeo, and SRAM Mountain Bike RideZone help get kids both interested in cycling and more importantly, help get them to be active outside.”
