Neko Mulally’s Custom World Champs Bike Raises More Than $26K for Can’d Aid’s Treads + Trails Program
Thu 15th Nov, 2018 @ 12:30 am
Professional downhill mountain bike racer Neko Mulally, a Treads + Trails Ambassador with the Can’d Aid Foundation, was on-site at Oskar Blues Brewery Friday night to draw the winning ticket for his custom 2018 World Championships YT Industries bike. Mulally, who is sponsored by Oskar Blues Brewery, agreed to donate his bike to Can’d Aid a few months ago in the hopes of raising as much money as possible for their Treads + Trails program.
Fox racing, one of Mulally’s sponsors, was also on-site handing out prizes and mingling with the bike-centric crowd who’d gathered for the drawing. More than 500 people from all over the world entered online to win, with an additional 75 purchasing tickets in person at the brewery. All told, the fundraiser generated $26,565 for Can’d Aid’s Treads + Trails program, which has built and donated nearly 2,500 bikes to underprivileged children across the country.
Neko, a YT Industries professional mountain bike racer who calls Brevard home, worked with YT to design the bike to be unlike any other bike in the world. The excitement and anticipation were palpable Friday evening as folks jockeyed for position to witness the live drawing. One patron purchased $500 worth of tickets on-site stating, “That bike is incredible – I don’t know that I’m equipped to ride it, but I’d love to own it and knowing the money all goes to Can’d Aid and their efforts to get more kids riding makes it even more worthwhile”. In the end, 3 winners were chosen from the more than 2,400 tickets purchased, with the custom branded helmet going to a winner in Zug, Switzerland; Fox racing gear going to Phoenixville, PA and the custom YT downhill bike being shipped out to one very happy winner in Ransomville, New York.
Neko called the surprised winner immediately after the drawing as the crowd listened in, exclaiming “We just picked the winning ticket here at Oskar Blues Brewery live in front of everyone, and you won! We’re all really stoked for you and we’ll ship the bike out to you on Monday!” Mulally’s mom was also in the crowd, live streaming the event to Neko’s fans and capturing the excitement. “He’s just so happy to be able to give back in this way and knowing the funds raised will get that many more kids introduced to riding is huge”, she said.
Diana Ralston, Can’d Aid’s Executive Director was also onsite Friday evening and said “this was a hugely successful fundraiser for us and we’re so grateful to have Neko as our Treads + Trails Ambassador. We’re excited to host more bike clinics for kids with him here in Brevard this spring.”
