There are many charity athletic events in the Eugene, Springfield and surrounding areas. It's about people getting involved for themselves and helping others. There is a lot to show for what people have done in our community. What seems like a simple event has helped thousands of people in many ways. Raising money for school athletic programs, troubled teens, and homeless shelters are among the few ways that people have given back to the community. Perhaps people are so eager to get involved because our community is so beautiful and has a very pleasant, athlete-friendly atmosphere. Physical fitness and health are valued by the people living here. The Eugene/Springfield area is so inviting because of the easy pace of living. The mountains, clean rivers, unpolluted air, healthy trees, plentiful green plants and mild weather are other qualities of this inviting environment. It is an athlete-friendly area because of the variety of sporting events that are held throughout the year. The easy access to hundreds of miles of bicycle and hiking trails along rivers and through woods supports countless athletes. Eugene is known as "Track Town" and is the birthplace of Nike. The legend of Steve Prefontaine lives on as people run though 'Pre's Trail'. The history of Eugene inspires people to get involved.

Eugene is well-known as "one of the 'bike-friendliest' cities in the United Sates." It has over 100 miles of bike paths. One of the favorite paths borders the Willamette River. The town of Springfield has over 29 miles of bike paths and branches into Eugene. The nearby town of Cottage Grove has 14 miles of nicely paved bike trails. Also starting from the Eugene/Springfield area, you can take a ride to the beautiful and scenic Fern Ridge Lake. The Eugene/Springfield area also has many cycling events throughout the year. These events all help the community by bringing in tourist dollars.

In April, there is the Tour of Willamette. This race is for national, elite athletic teams. Team sponsors include companies like NutriFig, Saturn, 7-up, Mercury, Shacklee and Timex. A local co-sponsor of this event in 2000 was Paul's Bicycle Shop. There were 12 athletes co-sponsored by Paul's Bicycle Shop this year. The tour is made up of several stages over 5 days. Stages include The Prologue (a 2-minute individual time trial), Criterium (teams must complete as many laps as they can in a certain amount of time), Century Ride (100 miles), Greenhill Road Race (94.4 miles ending with a final charge up Greenhill Road), and the Queen of the Mountain Sprint to the top of MacBeth Road. Course officials and support staff are all volunteers from the community.

In August, there is the Tour de Lane, a unique bicycle tour on the paved forest roads of Lane County. These roads have very little traffic, so they are safe for riders. The ride is fully supported; everything is provided for you. Participants stay in campgrounds with hot showers. The Tour starts in Springfield.

 

In September, there is the Willamette Valley Tour. This is a recreational bicycle tour of the lovely Willamette Valley from Springfield to Albany, featuring lightly traveled farm roads, winery visits and covered bridges. It starts in Springfield.

 

The Red Sides Kayak Rodeo takes place every fall up the McKenzie River. This year it will be September 23 & 24. It is a competitive event sponsored by Oregon River Sports. People come from several states to compete in this race. Also at this event, there is a water safety demonstration by Oregon River Sports' trained lifeguards. They demonstrate their equipment so you can learn how to use kayaks, rafts, life-jackets and other water sports equipment. Oregon River Sports supports safety on the river as well as the joy of competition. They give back to their community by teaching water safety.

 

A major event the Boy Scouts help sponsor in our community is the International Rotary Soccer Cup Tournament. This tournament takes place every July in Springfield. It attracts international teams as well as national teams. Local businesses sponsor the teams and the event. The money goes back into the community and charities in the area, like the Rotary and Looking Glass. The Rotary is a non-profit organization that gives money to soup kitchens, health clinics, homeless shelters, and other outreach programs in the local community. Looking Glass is an intervention and rehabilitation facility for troubled teens, especially those with substance abuse problems. In 1999, the Soccer Cup raised $100,000.

 

The Eugene Rotary hosts a major event every year, usually in October, called the Great Rotary Duck Race. The Rotary sells rubber ducks for $5 each. They dump all the rubber ducks into the Willamette River, and whoever bought the winning duck wins a wonderful prize, like a car or cash. All the money raised goes to non-profit organizations that help the community. Last year's event raised over $300,000.

 

The Cross-Country Run is a 35-mile charity event run on the McKenzie River Trail. It is held every Labor Day Weekend. There are only 85 participants allowed, and Phil Von hosts the event. Phil Von is a local citizen who is involved in running and athletics in the community, and he likes to see sports programs in schools prosper. Participants aren't just local citizens, they also come from other cities and states to run in this challenging event along the beautiful McKenzie River. The last two years they have had to limit the number of participants to 85 because of safety reasons. The money raised from this Cross Country Run goes to McKenzie High School for their cross-country team. Sponsors pay participants a certain amount of money per mile run. Last year this event raised $1,000 which helped the high school purchase uniforms, pay for coaching staff, and pay for a bus to transport them to races and other events.

 

The United States Basketball Academy "has been designed to be the most prestigious basketball facility in the world". Every aspect of the facility is first class. It is fully modernized and state-of-the-art with trained and experienced coaches, lecturers, and NBA players. All the hoops (30 baskets) are NBA standard. "The conference center is located in the serenity of the majestic firs on 46 acres in the McKenzie River Valley." The camp is on the McKenzie River. National basketball teams from around the world come here to train. They come from countries like China, the Philippines, and Venezuela.

 

The USBA hosts many camps; for instance: Pro Advantage, Father and Son, Girls Traditional, Boys Traditional, Fantasy Camp, and Face To Face. Pro Advantage camp is an International try-out for potential professional players. Pro coaches from around the world are scouting these young athletes. Father and Son camp is bonding experience  in a Christian setting. Girls/Boys Traditional camp teaches goal setting, positive attitude and teamwork on and off the court. Fantasy Camp is for adult athletes who want to improve their game with NBA coaches and players. Face To Face camp is where Japanese and American students learn each other's language and culture. Co-sponsored by Saving America's Children Foundation, "our mission is to provide children unique programs designed to teach them traditional values of honesty, loyalty, and cooperation with an emphasis on respect for others, creating a positive and safe learning environment."

 

Youth Pastor Greg Hughes of Eugene Christian Center has put together a camping program for foster-home children to meet with their biological siblings and other foster children. This camp is to let them have a good time and enjoy life. They all celebrate their birthdays in one single day at camp to make them feel special. They interact with and meet new friends, hike, play basketball, go rafting, meet pro athletes and coaches, plus other activities. They also get all new outfits, sleeping bags, etc. This all happens from donations and offerings in the church and in the community. The USBA is providing their facility for 2 weeks for this program, even though they are booked for the next two years.

 

Many athletic and charity events take place in our community and are just a small portion of what is happening throughout the area. The athletic and charity events have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and have made a difference in many lives in Lane County. The people getting involved have raised money for school programs, troubled teens, children in need of care, and homeless shelters. All these events have happened because people reached out to others in our community.