Friends, I need to interrupt my irregularly scheduled blogging to describe an important fundraising activity and hope you can join us. ClevelandBikes is proud to be a part of this great opportunity to raise money for ClevelandBikes and the Cleveland Food Bank. Please mark your calendar for Monday, December 1st and join us as we meet, eat, laugh, and come together to make this holiday season better for the hungry in Northeast Ohio.

The FOOD BANK EVENT will take place at Lopez on Lee (2196 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights) where you will be treated to a fabulous buffet, a discount cash bar, the amazing music of The Blue Drivers, and enjoy a chance to bid on a variety of items in the silent auction. ClevelandBikes has some great friends and we will have some very special auction items of our own available for you to bid on. You can mark on your invitation (visit: www.hubbub.com/FoodBank.pdf) or at the event and give a tax-deductible donation in any denomination to Cleveland Bikes to further cycling issues in NE Ohio.

Tickets are $60.00 each + two non-perishable food items. The six most requested items are: Beef Stew, Canned Soup, Canned Vegetables, Cereal, Peanut Butter and Tuna Fish. $15.00 of your ticket is tax deductible + the value of any item you win in the auction.

Cleveland Bikes is pleased to join on this important event and help cycling and the broader community. You can find your invitation here: (www.hubbub.com/FoodBank.pdf). Please signup and support ClevelandBikes AND HELP FILL THE FOOD BANK TRUCK TO SUPPORT A VITAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITY!

The Food Bank provides vital support for hudreds of food pantries and hunger centers throughout the region. Northeast Ohio's hungry include children, the working poor, the unemployed, the elderly, the homeless and the chronically ill. A report released in 2006 stated that in northeastern Ohio hunger centers:

* 31% of clients are children. These young people need healthy food to learn and grow. by America's Second Harvest, the national association of foodbanks.

* 12% of clients are senior citizens. These men and women, frequently on fixed incomes, are sometimes forced to choose between rent and food.

* 26% of clients have someone in their household in poor health. Their limited resources, that might otherwise be used to purchase food, are needed for medicine or health care.

* 38% of clients report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities such as heat.

* 72% of clients have incomes below the federal poverty level.

Thanks again! I hope to see you there.

Kevin
ClevelandBikes:When ClevelandBikes, Cleveland Benefits!
www.clevelandbikes.org