Inspire(d) has partnered with Winneshiek County Conservation, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and the Decorah Rotary International Chapter to launch The Longest Loop, a new fundraiser in support of the Neste Valley Recreation Area just south of Decorah, and the eventual construction of the Dry Run Trail. Neste Valley will be the first new recreation area purchased in 20 years for Winneshiek County Conservation, just south of Highways 9 and 52 near Decorah on the Neste Family Farm. The Dry Run Trail will eventually connect the Trout Run Trail through Neste Valley Recreation Area to the Prairie Farmer Trail reaching access to Calmar, Ridgeway, and Cresco. The event is based off of a previous successful fundraiser, “The Longest Day of Golf” that Decorah residents Jim Friest and LeRoy Kopriva completed for many years.
The Longest Loop is a century (100 mile) bike ride that will be completed by a small team of local cyclists to raise donations. The team of Dr. John Wilmes and Benji Nichols will be riding on the Trout Run Trail in order to raise ongoing funds for these public projects.
100% of donations to this project will go to the Winneshiek County Conservation Board to fund the purchase of the Neste Valley Recreation Area.
The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is the lead partner in the purchase of Neste Valley Recreation Area, which will transfer to Winneshiek County upon fundraising completion (expected by 2017). INHF accepts online gifts for the project, and your full gift is applied directly to Neste Valley on behalf of Winneshiek County Conservation. Your Longest Loop donation is a tax-deductible qualified charitable contribution.
The Longest Loop will be ridden by a small team of local bicyclists including Benji Nichols and Dr. John Wilmes on Saturday, July 9, 2016 (rain date 7/10). The team is asking trail supporters and the general public to make donations of any size to the project, which will help enable this incredible public infrastructure to become a reality. You may also stop by on the day of the ride to cheer on the team, heckle them, or bring encouragement, but the essential element of this fundraising ride are donations! Instead of pledging “by the mile” you can assume they will all do the century loop and donate accordingly in advance of the event:
$1 a mile = $100 donation
A quarter a mile = $25 donation
You get the drift!
Your donation will give this small team the spirit to accomplish the Longest Loop – and lots of donations will help fuel ideas and plans for a 2017 Longest Loop! 100% of donations to this project will go to the Winneshiek County Conservation Board to fund the purchase of the Neste Valley Recreational Area.
- About the Neste Valley Recreation Area Project
- “How To” Donate via the IA Natural Heritage Page
- Join us for the “After Loop” party Saturday evening July 9 – at Pulpit Rock Brewing in Decorah. From 6-8pm they will donate $1 from each beer sold to the Longest Loop. Click here for info!
