Cascade Bicycle Club’s Major Taylor Project offers after-school programs for students at 14 schools in South King County and Pierce County.  “Bike Club” provides 300 students “a forum for helping students develop confidence, goal setting abilities, bicycle maintenance and handling skills, and deep connections with their peers and communities,” according to Cascade.

Saturday’s Ride for Major Taylor starts at Chief Sealth High School in West Seattle and heads through White Center, Burien, Seatac and Tukwila. Proceeds from the ride will go to support the program.

Ideally, you have already been getting friends and family to pledge cash for your Major Taylor fundraiser. But if not, no worries! You can register at the start line between 9 and 10 a.m. for $60 ($50 if you’re a member). Anything above the registration fee is a donation. It’s a good cause if you have the cash.

More details from Cascade:

Cascade’s Ride for Major Taylor is fast approaching this Saturday, April 16. Now in its second year, the 25-mile pledge ride will take hundreds of riders through the culturally rich communities of West Seattle, Delridge, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and White Center before returning to the finish line celebration at Big Al Brewing in White Center.

… Day-of registration will be available for an additional fee from 9-10 a.m. at the start line at Chief Sealth High School.

The Ride for Major Taylor is a pledge ride in which students, families and community members are encouraged to raise support for Cascade’s Major Taylor Project. Registration fees and all pledged support helps provide bikes, cycling gear, tools, snacks and much more for participating students across 14 Puget Sound area schools throughout the year.

Full route and additional information available at cascade.org/rideformajortaylor.

Named after Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor, the first African American cyclist to achieve world champion status, the Major Taylor Project is a year-round youth development cycling program for middle and high school students. The Major Taylor Project uses afterschool cycling clubs as a forum for helping students develop confidence, goal setting abilities, bicycle maintenance and handling skills, and deep connections with their peers and communities. The program serves more than 300 students in King and Pierce Counties annually.

“This is a really special day for the Major Taylor Project and the students,” said Major Taylor Project Director Ed Ewing. “Like all the event rides that they work so hard to complete, this ride is their chance to show support for each other and share with their communities how much cycling has helped them grow as young people.”

To learn more and see a video of the Major Taylor Project students in action, visit cascade.org/majortaylor.