Dear fans and followers.
It is with a heavy heart that we must notify you today that the Thumbprint Racing Team riding in the name of FareStart will cease to exist at the end of the 2012 bicycle racing season.
This team was founded four years ago on the principal that an amateur Seattle bicycle racing team should leave its mark in the community by donating it’s title sponsorship to a worthy nonprofit. Over those racing seasons we saw International Justice Mission and then FareStart each enjoy two solid years in the limelight of Pacific Northwest road, track, mountain bike and cyclocross racing.
Without our sponsors, we could not have made this mark in the community and as we part ways at the end of the year we will always be grateful that they chose to honor us and this sport with their attention and money. Thank you sponsors!
It bears mentioning that without FareStart welcoming us with open arms we would not have been able to have such a successful partnership and contribute at events like Guest Chef Night.
As we go our separate ways we want everyone to understand that the end of the team was in no way related to sponsorship (or lack thereof) but rather a deficiency in our ability to renew the necessary leadership critical for any volunteer-led organization to remain viable.
The desire of the team in winding down its operations is to direct the treasurer to cut a check for all our remaining team funds payable to FareStart as our final act. We believe this to be a worthy and appropriate use of those funds.
Thanks also to all of our members that have given back to the team, to FareStart and to the cycling community.
Lastly - thanks to two of our founding members, Guy Tucker and Lisa Picard. Without their passion and initial contribution in the names of these two charities this vision would never have been realized.
Until we meet again!
Sincerely,
Thumbprint Racing Board
Martin Criminale, Greg Kauper, Gabe Templeton
