Bike the Boro created with charities in mind
By John Joyce
Published in News on September 17, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Dexter Yelverton, organizer of Bike the Boro, holds a sign for the event happening on Oct. 4.
This September, anyone shopping for bicycle gear -- helmets, fingerless gloves, those spandex shorts that hug the thigh -- could be in for a disappointment.
The shelves might well have been cleared by now.
The first annual Bike The Boro charity bicycling event is scheduled for Oct. 4 at Herman Park.
Dexter Yelverton, the man behind the event, is a Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Department advisory board member and a Mount Olive Middle School physical education teacher.
"We wanted to create an event that was family friendly and that would promote healthful living," Yelverton said, adding that proceeds from the inaugural event will benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wayne County of America and Wayne County 4-H.
The event will consist of two bike races -- a 5-mile trek for the novice rider and a 30-mile ride for those with more experience.
It started with a conversation between Yelverton and some friends.
"We were talking about what we used to do as kids, and I remembered the first thing I did every day when I went outside was hop on my bike," he said.
Yelverton said there are not enough activities for kids today that can both keep them healthy and out of trouble, and that bicycling is something that can keep the whole family involved.
He added that the way the city of Goldsboro is laid out is not really pedestrian- or bicyclist-friendly, and there are growing number of residents that would like to see that changed.
So Yelverton decided to take action -- partnering with Goldsboro Parks and Rec to get Bike the Boro off the ground.
Parks and Rec director Scott Barnard said his office supports anything that is going to get young people active.
"We want to do anything we can to help make these events successful and help them grow legs," he said. "Once they outgrow us, they tend to come out from under our umbrella."
The Goldsboro Police Department vetted the bicycle routes and said it would ensure the riders' safety during the event, Yelverton said.
Citizens taking advantage of the 5-mile in town route will also get a glimpse of the city's history along the way, Yelverton said.
Stops along the in-town route are scheduled at the Veterans Memorial opposite the Wayne County Courthouse, and at the town commons.
Veterans will teach riders who stop by the memorial about the vast military history Goldsboro is home to, including the number and names of veterans from the community who gave their all in defense of the nation.
Yelverton is also partnering with downtown businesses through his wife, Goldsboro High School teacher and Future Business Leaders of America adviser, Joy Yelverton.
Mrs. Yelverton is working with downtown businesses, especially those impacted by the Streetscape project on Center Street, to promote their businesses and to keep commerce moving.
"Promoting businesses throughout the routes is mutually beneficial," Yelverton said.
He said he spoke with the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation and they were on board.
"We're supportive of everyone who brings attention to Downtown Goldsboro," DGDC director Meg Gernaat said.
Registration for the event is taking place right now online at bikethebboro.com. Same-day registration will also be available the day of the event at Herman Park and will begin around 8 a.m. The cost is $30 per individual, but a group rate of $85 is available.