Newport County YMCA Named Bike Friendly Business of the Year

On Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 15th, Bike Newport named the 3rd annual Bicycle Friendly Business of the Year - the Newport County YMCA.

The YMCA received the award for “consistent and ongoing support and encouragement of bicycling.” In the past year, the Y has promoted biking activities to their membership; added bike programs to the summer camp; and ordered a new high capacity bike rack for the property. Most recently, the Y dedicated a section of the parking lot for ‘Park & Bike’ – where visitors can park their cars free of charge, hop on their bikes and follow signs to Newport and to events at Fort Adams. Said Bike Newport Executive Director Bari Freeman, “The Newport County YMCA is the definition of a bike friendly business – supportive, encouraging, and deeply collaborative.”

YMCA CEO Mike Miller and a number of YMCA employees biked to the Bike to Work Day festivities in Newport’s Washington Square. Receiving the award, Miller summed it up this way, “Being bike friendly meets our goals for our members and for the community – youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. We hope to support every bike friendly initiative we can.”

This year’s original art trophy, constructed from repurposed bicycle wheels, was again designed, constructed and donated by the husband and wife team of Howard and Mary Newman and will hang proudly at the YMCA on Valley Road in Middletown.

The Y joins past recipients of the award: the Jane Pickens Theater (2013) and the Preservation Society of Newport County (2014).

Photo by Liza Burkin (l-r) Bike Newport Executive Director Bari Freeman, YMCA CEO Mike Miller, YMCA Healthy Living Director Dave Stinson, local artist Howard Newman