Swiftwick® Partners with The Urban Nature Program and Oasis Bike Shop to Help Local Youth Adventure Outside

April 22, 2021

Franklin, TN (April 23, 2021)  — Swiftwick® is proud to announce a partnership with two local organizations, Nashville’s Urban Nature Program and Oasis Bike Shop, to empower youth in the community to explore the outdoors. Swiftwick will provide gear, financial support, and dedicated staff volunteering hours to both organizations.

The Oasis Bike Shop offers free, co-operative bike workshops to young people in Nashville. Weekly workshops enable youth to build their own bicycles from the frame up while learning about bicycle maintenance and repair. At the end of the workshop program, participants own their newly-crafted bike. “We are so excited about our new partnership with Swiftwick,” said Dan Furbish, who started the free workshops at Oasis with the understanding that a bike can be an incredible resource for kids without other means of transportation. “This partnership will allow us to further our reach in providing bicycles, helmets and tools to young people in Nashville, and, more importantly, to provide them the opportunity to get a little dirt and grease under their fingernails as they learn bike maintenance and riding skills through our Oasis Bike Workshop programs.” Swiftwick looks forward to participating in a program that empowers local youth to become advocates for alternative transportation, learn skilled trades, and form a connection with the city through cycling.

The Urban Nature Program enables underprivileged youth in Nashville to connect with outdoor spaces around the city through after-school programs and summer camps—providing opportunities to participate in activities like hiking, kayaking and birding while developing outdoor skills. “We are thrilled about this partnership with Swiftwick,” Jenny Hannon, President of Friends of Warner Park, said. “Their support of our Urban Nature Program and active volunteer engagement aids our work immensely. We are very grateful and look forward to continuing to build our relationship with the Swiftwick team.”

Encouraging youth to explore outside aligns with Swiftwick’s core mission to empower people to be their best self through the pursuit of adventure. Racheal Hubarth, Brand Marketing Manager at Swiftwick, said “The Urban Nature Program & Oasis Bike Shop are two incredible organizations that are making a huge difference in the lives of underprivileged Middle TN youth by providing them with outdoor experiences, alternative means of transportation, and key developmental skills that bring them closer to nature and ultimately toward their individual pursuits of chasing adventure. We look forward to partnering with both programs and getting to be a part of the impacts they are making on the community that Swiftwick calls home.”

Swiftwick’s volunteer efforts for the Urban Nature Programwill involve helping to maintain camping areas as well as assisting in facilitating summer programs and extracurricular activities during the school year. They will also help facilitate bike workshops for the Oasis Bike Shop. Financial contributions to Oasis Bike Shop will go towards bicycle safety and maintenance gear, such as helmets and tune-up kits, that will help continue to keep the workshop operating as free to local families.

About Swiftwick

Swiftwick was founded in 2008 when an athlete saw the need for a high-performance sock with superior moisture-wicking and incredible fit. Today, based in Franklin, TN, they are an international brand developing performance socks for every adventure. All Swiftwick products are made in the USA using the most sustainable practices available and are backed by the company’s “Best sock you will ever wear” guarantee. www.swiftwick.com

About The Urban Nature Program

The Urban Nature Program focuses on connecting underprivileged elementary through middle school aged children with the outdoors through after school programs, overnight summer camps, and fall evening events. The program connects economically disadvantaged youth with nature at the Warner Parks Nature Center, the Center’s organic gardens, its hands-on nature museum, the nature play area, the Bird Research Center, and creeks and streams through the parks. Activities include hiking, kayaking, creek exploration, wildflower education, birding and insect discovery, arts and crafts, and developing key outdoor skills.

About Oasis Bike Shop

The Oasis Bike Workshop is a year round earn-a-bike program that empowers Nashville’s young people with alternative transportation and maintenance skills. Since its inception, over 2,000 young people have rolled out the door on bikes that they rebuilt and customized. The workshop has grown into a nationally recognized program and community effort that is now helping us to serve over 120 young people each year. Through this free, volunteer-powered program, youth participate in weekly workshops in which they custom build their own bicycle from the frame up, and are trained in bicycle safety and maintenance. Upon completion of the workshop, each participant rides away with their own bicycle, as well as a new helmet, lock, lights, toolkit and a bit of grease under their fingernails as proof of their new skill set. They recently completed a brand new pump track in Nashville for youth and community members to join together to create a safe space to ride their bikes in a North Nashville public park.