Burlington, Vermont (May 18, 2022) – It’s time to ride again! The Kelly Brush Ride powered by VBT Bicycling Vacations returns as an in-person event on Saturday, September 10 in Middlebury, Vermont. Riders who can’t make the in-person event can still participate by riding anywhere on the road or trail of their choice. Registration for the 17th annual fundraising event to inspire and empower people with spinal cord injuries to lead active and engaged lives is now open at www.kellybrushfoundation.org/ride. Early bird registration ends on June 30.

“The Kelly Brush Ride is the perfect summer event! Biking through the beautiful Vermont countryside with your friends, enjoying delicious food and great live music, all while raising money for a great cause!” said Executive Director Edie Perkins. “Does it get any better than that?”

In-person participants can ride 100, 50, 20, or 10-mile routes through the scenic Champlain Valley with ​​stunning views of the Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, and the Adirondacks. For those who can’t make it to Vermont, the foundation offers a ride anywhere option that allows participants to join in the fundraising ride from the road or trail of their choosing. 

In 2021, the event drew more than 942 in-person and virtual riders, including 47 handcyclists, and raised more than $825,000 to provide direct support for equipment that gets people with spinal cord injuries out enjoying the activities that enrich their lives, like skiing, basketball, cycling, and tennis. 

This year, the Kelly Brush Foundation is setting a high goal to raise $975,000 this year, which will allow the KBF to give out over $1 million in adaptive sports equipment this year for the first time ever. That amount represents the dream equipment for over 300 people with spinal cord injuries, so they can get out and enjoy being active again. To date, the foundation has awarded more than 1,371 adaptive equipment grants to people in 49 states for adaptive equipment through its Active Fund. The ride also supports the foundation’s ski racing safety program. Each year grants are awarded to non-profit ski clubs and racing programs for improving race course safety.

“We want to be able to give more people from the spinal cord community the opportunity to enjoy being active, ” said Kelly Brush, whose family founded the foundation following her racing accident that left her paralyzed in 2006. “The money raised from the Kelly Brush Ride makes it possible for so many grant recipients to get the adaptive sports equipment they need to do so.”

Early-bird registration discounts are in effect until June 30. For registration and information visit:

www.kellybrushfoundation.org/kellybrushride

The Kelly Brush Ride powered by VBT Bicycling Vacations is made possible thanks to the generosity of many participants, volunteers, and sponsors including; VBT Bicycling Vacations, MassMutual, Sugarbush Resort, Murphy Realty Company, LLC, Audi South Burlington, Nokian Tyres, People’s United Bank, Ross-Simons Jewelers, World Cup Supply, Concept2, Gravel & Shea PC, Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew P.C., NBT Bank, Summit Properties, Ursa Major, MountainGuard Insurance, our hosts on the Middlebury Ski Team, and other generous sponsors.

About Kelly Brush Foundation

The Kelly Brush Foundation is a dynamic and growing Burlington, Vermont-based non-profit inspiring and empowering people with spinal cord injuries to be active and working closely with the alpine ski racing community to improve safety. The Kelly Brush Foundation was founded in 2006 by Kelly and her family after Kelly sustained a spinal cord injury while racing in an NCAA alpine ski race. To date, the Kelly Brush Foundation has awarded more than 1,371 adaptive equipment grants to people in 49 states.