The Central Indiana Bicycling Association will be bringing the 45th annual Hilly Hundred to the hills and hollers of Monroe, Greene and Owen counties soon.
The event is a fundraiser for cycling groups and the Dollars for Scholars program at Edgewood High School. The CIBA Foundation receives $3 per rider, Dollars for Scholars receives $1 per rider, and Bicycle Indiana receives $1 per rider.
“We turn around and give that money out as part of as many scholarships as possible,” Johnny Lindsey, director of Dollars for Scholars, said.
Dollars for Scholars handles the processing for a number of scholarships.
“The benefit for students with this is that they can apply for all the scholarships we are processing with one application,” Lindsey said.
Additionally, Dollars for Scholars assists those who want to provide scholarships with administrative tasks, such as ensuring the scholarship’s availability to students and that it gets to the right school.
Last year, the Hilly Hundred raised $4,700 each for Dollars for Scholars and Bicycle Indiana, a statewide bicycling advocacy group.
The CIBA Foundation donates most of the money raised to other causes of interest to cyclists.
“Recent recipients in your area include the Solar Bike Team at Bloomington South (High School), Ellettsville Main Street and the Town of Stinesville,” Skip Higgins, managing director of the Hilly Hundred, said.
Jean Kapczynski, president of Ellettsville Main Street, said CIBA Foundation gave the organization a grant for $1,000 in 2009.
“We had to apply for it, but they gave us some money for the Heritage Trail,” Kapczynski said. “We’re still holding onto it.”
Booster groups from EHS prepare and sell food at the event to raise money, as well.
Mick Hammett, athletic director at EHS, said the athletic department is in charge of Sunday’s lunch.
“The girls and boys basketball teams are the workforce for this,” Hammett said.
The 35 students arrive at the staging area a little after 8 a.m. and set up tables for the food and drinks that will be served to the cyclists. Once the food and drinks arrive, students arrange them on the tables and in areas nearby to restock as the day progresses.
“The riders typically start arriving around 10:30 a.m., and it is a steady stream until 2 p.m.,” Hammett said.
When the riders start pouring in, students split into two groups – servers and restockers – until the steady stream of cyclists slows down enough to begin consolidating and breaking down tables and cleaning up.
“The athletic department receives $2,500 for this,” Hammett said.
Other booster groups that benefit from the Hilly Hundred’s base being in Ellettsville include choir and band.
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2012. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.