For immediate release
Second annual Ride for Kids event will be held August 14 at Bridgehampton SoulCycle
NEW YORK—Celebrity spinners and cycling fanatics of all levels know Stacey Griffith as the go-to guru for heart-pumping, inspirational workouts at the New York institution SoulCycle. And while Griffith’s high-octane classes and personal attention have landed her a slew of recent appearances in national fitness magazines, her real ambition is something closer to spiritual transformation. “My goal is to pull the athlete out of every person that walks through my door; every person that comes in here has some kind of burning desire to change something,” she says.
That’s doubly true for the participants at the upcoming, second annual Ride for Kids in Bridgehampton. The event, which takes place on August 14 at the SoulCycle Barn at Butter Lane, benefits the New York City education charity Change for Kids (CFK), a nonprofit dedicated to promoting educational opportunity in some of the city’s most underserved elementary schools. The event this summer marks Griffith’s one-year anniversary as a board member of the organization, and is an encore to her wildly popular, sold-out event last August. Chris Forbes, CFK’s Chairman of the Board, was among the participants at Ride for Kids 2009. “The room had great energy; with Stacey's encouragement I thought we were on the open road,” he says. “Most importantly, we sold out the event and paid for an entire year of literacy programming at one of our schools.” Griffith will also be leading the workout’s live auction, which will include two iPods fully loaded with her favorite workout music.
The timing for this year’s Ride for Kids couldn’t be better. After more than a decade of providing music, art and literacy enrichment, Change for Kids plans to expand into fitness and nutrition education. For CFK’s four partner schools and 2,500 students, the initiative will bring new resources for desperately needed programs. “Some of our students go a full semester without any physical education,” explains Executive Director and CEO Colin Smith. “They may have a single gym teacher for 500 students. Sports equipment is hard to come by; nutrition programs are non-existent.”
“This event is about making positive changes,” says Louise Phillips Forbes, who is chairing the event committee. “Changes in our community and in ourselves.”
Ride for Kids will take place on Saturday, August 14 at SoulCycle’s Bridgehampton location, The Barns at Butter Lane (264 Butter Lane, Bridgehampton, NY 11976). The spin class and live auction will begin at 6:00pm. Bike reservations range from $200-$300, depending on location. A casual cocktail party will follow the class at 7:00pm; bikers and non-bikers alike are welcome to enjoy sunset bellinis at The Barn. A donation is requested from those who choose not to take part in the indoor cycling class. Register online at www.changeforkids.org, or contact Colin Smith at (212) 213-8061 or by email at csmith@changeforkids.org.