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Tales from the Peloton - November 16, 2003
The Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund auction/dinner dance
A fundraising night full of fun
American cyclist Nicole Reinhart was a beautiful person and great athlete who tragically lost her life in a racing accident on September 17, 2000. Nicole's parents, Mike and Pam, subsequently set up a fund to help up and coming U.S. cyclists, and this auction/dinner dance was geared towards raising money for the fund, as Kristy Scrymgeour reports.
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220 people turned up at the Holiday Inn in Fogelsville Pennsylvania on the weekend to enjoy a night of dancing and bidding at the Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund silent auction/dinner dance. The mood was buzzing, proving that the fund started by Pam and Mike Reinhart is alive and well and thriving in its mission to "continue Nicole's giving spirit and touch as many lives as possible" by supporting developing cyclists all over the country.
Since 2000, when they started the Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund, the foundation has distributed almost $189,000 to organisations and individuals to promote youth cycling, fitness and other endeavours that promote the building of safety awareness, self esteem, character, sportsmanship and faith.
This year 150 items were up for bid at the silent auction. Items were donated from folks in the cycling industry and the local community. Some of the treasures featured were a special edition Tour de France five-time winner jersey, autographed by Lance Armstrong, Chris Horner's team Saturn bike, an LA Lakers basketball jersey autographed by Magic Johnson, an autographed CSC jersey, autographed by Tyler Hamilton, Chris Witty's 2002 Podium jacket from the Salt Lake City Olympics. Bike and manufacturers donated equipment such as Zipp wheels, Shimano wheels and pedals, Saris racks and Cyclops trainers, Oakley gear, and Michelin tyres. Other items included vacation packages, restaurant voucher and B&B stays. Beef jerky and Victory Brewing beer were also hot items up for bid. After the auction was complete, people hit the dance floor for what turned into a table by table dance off!
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Spending time with the Reinharts is always humbling, as a thirst to give more and more oozes out of them. "We have already helped a lot of young athletes," said Mike Reinhart, "but we know we can do so much more."
Mike hopes that each year the dinner dance will grow in size as it has proven to be a successful evening aided by the support of all the people who generously donate auction items. "We want people to know that we help people from all over the country, not just local athletes and students". Full time students can apply for scholarships online at the foundation website, www.nicolesbench.com.
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The initial focus of the program back in 2000 was the junior and U23 development team sponsored by Saturn. Due to Saturn pulling its sponsorship of the sport recently, the team is now without a major sponsor, but Mike is adamant that he will find a new sponsor soon so that they may continue with their plans to grow the team into a fully fledged development team for both men and women.
[For more information on Nicole Reinhart, please see the Nicole Reinhart tribute page].
Photography
Images by Kristy Scrymgeour/Cyclingnews.com
- A signed Lance Armstrong jersey up for auction
- A signed Magic Johnson jersey up for auction
- Chris Horner's bike got a lot of attention
- A signed CSC jersey belonging to Tyler Hamilton
- A photo of Nicole Reinhart winning the San Jose BMC race in 2000
- Reinharts everywhere Laura Van Gilder, and Mike Reinhart, with the other Reinharts (unrelated), excited to have won the bid on the VIP tickets to Philadelphia.
- Chris Witty's podium jacket from the 2002 Winter Olympics raised a lot of money.
- Victory Brewing were great supporters of the night
- A painting of Greg Lemond in the yellow jersey
- Someone paid big money for this basket of beef jerky
- The Reinhart family
- People gettin' down on the dance floor
- Elizabeth Butler happy to now own a Cyclingnews jersey
