Every November, the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) hosts the best bike
raffle in the Southeast. Every year, it raises a good chunk of money to support
Knoxville’s trail systems, and someone wins a (really) rad bike. This year was different. In
the wake of the massive and devastating Hurricane Helene, AMBC redirected 100% of
its bike raffle proceeds, the results were impressive – $59,812 – to storm relief efforts
across multiple affected Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) regions.
AMBC partnered with locally owned Harper’s Bike Shop and industry partners to build
a top-of-the-line, custom bicycle valued at over $11,000. Generous contributors
included Santa Cruz Bicycles, Cane Creek, Nox Composites, Industry Nine, SRAM and
OneUp Components.
The raffle, which ran from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1, was shared across all 47 SORBA chapters in
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The drawing took place live at the 15th Annual AMBC Fall Festival at Knoxville’s Baker
Creek Preserve. One lucky winner rode off with the bike of a lifetime, but the true win
was the overwhelming support shown for storm-impacted communities.
Proceeds from the raffle will support the following organizations:
● United Way Asheville and Buncombe County
● United Way East TN Highlands
● High Country United Way
● United Way Greenville County
● United Way of the CSRA
Matthew Kellogg, AMBC executive director, said, “Everyone stepped up not just for
the trails we love but for the people and places that make our region so special. The
funds raised are going straight to helping those communities get back on their feet.”
Philip Darden, SORBA executive director, said, “It’s been incredible to see the support
from our chapters and partners. The mountain biking community has a way of showing
up when it counts, and this raffle is just one example of how we can come together to
make an impact.”
About AMBC:
The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) is a chapter of the Southern Off-Road
Bicycling Association (SORBA) and a supporter of the International Mountain Bike
Association (IMBA).
AMBC develops, builds and maintains trails while providing programming to increase
access to outdoor recreation.
As the Southeast’s second-largest organized mountain bike club, AMBC is a leader in
urban trail networks and manages more than 100 miles of natural surface trails for
residents and visitors alike.
Contact:
Matthew Kellogg
AMBC Executive Director
[email protected]
About SORBA:
Since 1989, the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association has worked to ensure that our
public lands offer fun, challenging and sustainable mountain biking for all mountain
bikers. As the leading mountain biking organization in the Southeast, we believe
everyone should have access to the social, physical and mental benefits that mountain
biking provides. Through advocacy, education and resource sharing, SORBA’s 47
chapters envision a future where mountain biking is at the center of healthy,
economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable communities throughout the
Southeast, with well-planned, accessible, and progressive trail systems.
SORBA relies on our generous members to carry out our mission. Our volunteers
donate thousands of hours each year to advocate for trail access, raise funds for trail
development, build trails, and maintain trails.
Contact:
Philip Darden
SORBA Executive Director
[email protected]
