Minneapolis-Saint Paul (September 15, 2011) Organizers of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival, which includes the Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage bike race, have named Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota as the new beneficiary for 2012. Children’s Lighthouse aims to provide the first hospice and respite care home in Minnesota exclusively for children.
The previous beneficiary since 2003 was the Pediatric Hospice and Pain & Palliative Care Program at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota which received a total contribution of $185,000 from the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival.
“It’s an honor to support this new program,” said Festival director David LaPorte. “Innovation is a highly valued attribute as the Nature Valley Grand Prix seeks to reinvent bicycle racing and we feel that Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota has this same attribute, although in pediatric care. While we have valued our relationship with Children’s Hospital’s Pain & Palliative Care Unit, Children’s Lighthouse is taking this goal a step further in its mission to build the first free-standing children’s hospice in Minnesota. We feel that we can have a greater impact by assisting this budding organization in their fundraising efforts and hope to really be able to make a difference in the lives of the children and families they will serve. Children’s Lighthouse will partner with Children’s Hospital and other pediatric clinics, so we continue to serve the same families with this new service.”
Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota was created in 2009 by Katie Lindenfelser, a music therapist, with a goal of raising $8 million to open an 8- to 10-bed children’s hospice home in the next three to five years. It would be the first children’s hospice in the Midwest and only the third in the United States, compared to numerous similar facilities in the United Kingdom and around the world. Furthermore, hospice care for children is not typically covered by insurance, so this type of facility is needed and appreciated by families dealing with the prolonged illness of a child. For more information on the organization’s goals and progress, visit www.childrenslighthousemn.org.
“We are so grateful for the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival team's commitment to support children with life-limiting conditions and their families, and are honored to be the benefiting charity as we work to build a children's hospice and respite home,” said Katie Lindenfelser, executive director of Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota. “While there are dedicated services to children in the home and hospital, Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota will be the first hospice and respite home built specifically for children and their unique needs in the Midwest - a place for fun and comfort care during respite stays, and, as needed, a sacred place where the family can be together at the end of a child's life.”
About the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival
Now in its 14th year, the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival is a ten-day celebration of bicycling that includes amateur and professional racing and community events. The Festival will open on June 8 – 10 with the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic at the National Sports Center Velodrome. The marquee event, the Nature Valley Grand Prix will be held June 13 – 17. The stage race has become the top event on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar, attracting top American and international racing teams and nearly 300 top riders from around the world. The festival also includes activities like kids’ fun “races”, recreational rides, stunt rider shows, lifestyle expos and live music to celebrate the cycling culture. For more information, visit www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com.
About Nature Valley
Nature Valley, the brand that created the granola bar category in 1975, brings variety to healthy, active consumers looking for wholesome and great-tasting snacks. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Nature Valley is part of General Mills, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products.