Carol & Frank Stacy donate to Songo.info and Cycling4Kayamandi

When my husband, Frank decided to take on the job of designing bicycle tires for Specialized worldwide, I had some apprehension because I didn’t know the bicycle industry. Both Frank and I have grown up in the motorcycle industry, he as an ‘x’ motocross, Supercross and cross-country racer, who ended up as Dunlop’s motorcycle tire designer for 17 years. I, on the other hand, sold advertising for motorcycle magazines and marketed the industry with passion and the love of the sport. Motorcycles are big, heavy and make noise; bicycles are light weight, don’t make any noise and who are these men and women that race with little gear and tight outfits?

But after 15 years working with the bicycle staff and worldwide race team members, it’s been an on-going growing experience that involves passion of a different industry. When we first met Christopher Sauser, his mechanic Benno and other Specialized team members, at a tire test in South Africa, I wondered what I was opening up to. It only took that one meeting and years of friendship since then to understand why they ride and race, their commitment to their bodies, their training, their passion and love of this sport. Christoph, Benno, team manager, Bobby Behan are not only passionate within their sport but also about life.

Frank and I have our own company, Stacy Testing & Tire Specialist Inc in Cave Creek, Arizona. We wear a lot of different hats; Frank not only designs bicycle tires, but motorcycle, ATV, UTV plus we’re the official ‘testing agency’ for Honda R& D America motorcycle, ATV & watercraft in the United States. My position is to market and promote our company plus I represent to two NASCAR publications, which is another environment that’s exciting, filled with passion and love of a horsepower with four wheels.

Yet with all these opportunities, travel and experiences that help us grow and appreciate our lives, getting involved with Christoph and the Songo experience has been the most rewarding. During the 2008 season, Christoph, Frank and I had a conversation about how he was making a commitment to a community in South Africa…Kaymandi. His goal, along with his partner Songo, was to create a safe, healthy environment for ‘impoverish’ children who want to race bicycles at a BMX track and experience the same passion and love of bicycling that Christoph and his friends do on a daily basis.

Frank and I decided we wanted to help in anyway we can but since we can’t be there we have donated to their commitment to these kids. On our last day in South Africa this past February, during a tire test of the Specialized MTB Cross Country team, Songo took us to the BMX track. It was a hot, sunny day and the end of their summer. With no less then two dozen kids riding up and down and around on this small but functional track that they love so much. Songo explained that they have 150 kids, girls and boys, who ride everyday. A few dozen bikes were donated but they need more bikes and gear for all these kids. They pick up their bikes at the Police station, where they are stored in a container, they have to have written permission from their parents so they know where their kids are and when the day is done of riding, they ride the bikes back to the station, wash the bikes off and store them for the next day of riding.

We met one of the leaders, Ndiphe, who is 18 yrs old, who watches over the BMX track. In speaking with him he has set goals for himself and has made a commitment at a young age to want a better in life. His passion is about his health and education and he is definitely an inspiration. His inspiration is Christoph & Songo and rightly so…why wouldn’t you inspire to be like Christoph, not only for his talent on a bicycle but for his compassion that inspires these kids to be better, to make a difference in their lives and communities. You know in the USA, we have many ways to volunteer or donate or to help others but this cause has gone above and beyond. Every bicycle company and after market company that makes components for bicycles should take a look at how they can participate in their ‘impoverish’ neighborhoods and influence bicycle riding.

When we returned home it was important to us to show our grandkids, Logan (8yrs) and Sara (5 yrs), where we had been, show them pictures of the kids and where they live, which is not a pleasant sight at times. I’m not sure they could have totally grasped what we were trying to explain so hopefully, someday we can take them there to ride with the kids of Kaymandi! It’s an experience we’ll never forget and will continue to support.

Christoph’s passion and commitment influenced Frank and I but it was the smiling faces of these children that will continue our commitment. We’re so proud to be a part of ‘Cycling 4 Kaymandi’ but more importantly we’re so proud to be part of the lives of 150 kids from South Africa. Every week I look on their website so I can see their smiling faces and know that we played a tiny small part in putting those smiles on their bright, inspiring faces! It is our privilege to have this opportunity and we want to thank Christoph, Songo, Bobby and those folks that make this happen. God Bless you all!

Carol & Frank Stacy

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