<h5 align="JUSTIFY"><span style="color: #000000;">The <strong>Greenbrier Valley Bicycle Club</strong> (GVBC) and the local community lost a good friend in<strong> Jim Cooper</strong> in 2012. </span></h5> <p align="JUSTIFY"></p> [caption id="attachment_3829" align="alignleft" width="289"]<a href="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2014/01/Blumenstein-Bike-Rack.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3829" alt="Greenbrier Valley Bicycle Club" src="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2014/01/Blumenstein-Bike-Rack-289x300.jpg" width="289" height="300" /></a> Special one-of-a-kind art piece created by Mark Blumenstein on display at Hill and Holler Bicycle Works on Washington Street in Lewisburg[/caption] <p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="color: #000000;">Since his passing it has been our desire to have a bike rack in Lewisburg in his memory. The City of Lewisburg and the <strong>Greenbrier Valley Convention and Visitor Bureau</strong> have agreed to allocate a prime location directly to the side of CVB main entrance for this purpose. GVBC has commissioned a local artist, Mark Blumenstein, to design and build a unique and special rack that will allow up to six bicycles to be tethered. </span></p> <p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="color: #000000;"> The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $3,000 for the bike rack and we are asking friends and like-minded folk or simply art collectors to help raise the money through donations by way of a raffle. All proceeds of the raffle will go toward the design and construction of the art piece. GVBC is not acting as a financial sponsor, with the bike rack to be funded entirely by private donation. Any excess funds collected [e.g. above the cost of the bike rack] will be held in an account and used for any periodic maintenance of the bike rack.</span></p> <p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="color: #000000;">Very generously, Mark has created a special one-of-a-kind art piece that we are displaying at Hill and Holler Bicycle Works on Washington Street in Lewisburg to kick off efforts. The piece is approximately 14” tall and is very unique and will remain on display at Hill and Holler until Feb. 1. Beginning Feb. 3, the art piece will be on display at the CVB, and tickets will be on sale at the CVB on Friday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Mar. 7 as part of First Friday activities. As a recognized artist whose work is displayed in galleries around the country, this is a valuable piece to own. To view his work, go to <a href="http://www.markblumenstein.com" target="_blank">www.markblumenstein.com</a>.</span></p> <p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="color: #000000;">Tickets are $20 each, or three for $50 and are on sale now at Hill and Holler, on their website<a href="http:// hillandhollerbikes.com" target="_blank"> hillandhollerbikes.com</a>, or from John Francis at 540-521-5102, Liz Wickline at 304-647-2000, Carolyn Komar at 304-646-5654 or Peter Lawson at 304-552-3213. </span></p> <p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="color: #000000;">An additional fundraising event is planned for Feb. 22 with additional details to follow, and the final drawing will be the first week of March 2014. The winner will be contacted personally and the result of the raffle published in local newspapers.</span></p> <p align="JUSTIFY"><em><span style="color: #000000;">Thank you in advance for any support you can give to this important project in memory of Jim and benefiting the Lewisburg cycling community.</span></em></p>
