Coca-Cola Quenches Thirst for Trails
WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 26, 2006
This summer Coca-Cola North America donated $500,000 to support Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) for grants to catalyze trail development and maintenance. RTC is directing the Coca-Cola grants to trails needing that final push to realize completion.
A prime example is the connection of the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia to the Chief Ladiga in Alabama. This trail link, 10 years in the making, will connect residents in communities from Atlanta to Anniston, Ala. Currently the Chief Ladiga offers 33 miles of rail-trails and the Silver Comet features 50 miles. When the link is completed, the trails will provide more than 100 miles of continuous off-road recreation and travel space.
"We've met, we've talked, we've planned, we've dreamed, but it's taken this refreshing financial splash from Coca-Cola to help us finally connect to our neighbors," says Pete Conroy, an environmental policy professor at Jacksonville State University and chairman of the Chief Ladiga project. "It's a thrill to know that our trails united, like a long, skinny park, will connect more people and more places than ever before."
In addition to a $100,000 grant for the Georgia-Alabama connector, smaller trail development gifts are being awarded to local trail-support organizations in 13 communities around the United States.
"For most of the last century, The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers have supported community needs in keeping with the times," said Don Knauss, Coca-Cola North America president. "Today, providing people with more opportunities to be active and have greater access to green space is a clearly identified community need. We're pleased that with our contribution to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy we are able to support that need and give something lasting back to our communities."
