Here’s one way to get more people to
take riding skills courses: make them free.
If “Riders University” in
California takes off – and it might, since it’s already been given a
$25,000 donation from a Canadian company – some new riders in the
U.S. could enjoy a drop in the cost of lessons.
With the donated money, the group hopes
to grant riding school scholarships to new riders who might not be able to afford the rider training.
“We’re hoping to
give out at least some full scholarships for training,” said
Brittany Burkhartsmeier,
public relations director with Riders U. They would also give out
some partial scholarships.
Riders
U has received a number of small donations, but its first large
donation was made last summer – $25,000 from Toronto-based publisher
Vertical Scope, who also acquired SportbikeS.com from Riders U
founder Mike DiSabatino around the same time.
There
are no plans that we know of to set up a scholarship fund for
Canadian motorcyclists, but Burkhartsmeier suggested that Riders U might be expanding its
scope in the future. Vertical Scope’s Orban added that supporting a Canadian progam is "something that we would consider."
The
California organization hopes to start handing out scholarships in
about a month, said Burkhartsmeier.
New riders in the U.S. who want financial help need
to send in applications, which are available through the website.
The surely are getting something in return. Why would they otherwise have donated 25K? Respectable move, however I doubt they don’t want anything in return, otherwise they could easily do it here in Canada as well. Perhaps they sell something exclusively to the US? So US market visibility is important to them?
Cheers,
Marek
there has got to be a place up here that could use the money for a similar operation.
canadian company, california rider training.
there’s a disconnect here, but I can’t place my finger on it