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Coca-Cola Grant Supports Midwest Trails:
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 and trail groups needing that final push. Three groups in the Midwest will each be receiving $5,000: the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance (MTGA)  , National Road Heritage Project (NRHT) and Illinois Trail Conservancy .
"Thanks to Coca-Cola for this unrestricted funding that allows us to assist a few more communities by providing the right information at just the right time," says MTGA Executive Director Nancy Krupiarz, "[This funding will allow MTGA] to surmount a variety of obstacles encountered throughout the trail-planning and building process."
"We are very honored to have the NRHT initiative recognized in this way," says Greg Midgley of the National Road Heritage Trail, Inc. "With this grant, NRHT plans to expand its outreach to communities and counties along the proposed 150-mile, multi-use trail route and will pursue upgrades to its organizational status so that it can more effectively serve other organizations that desire to develop parts of the trail."
Bev Moore, president and acting director of Illinois Trails Conservancy, reiterated the sentiments of her peers, stating, "I told [our board] that they should come with suggestions as to what we can do with $5,000. We will find a use so it will multiply and get more trails in Illinois. Trails are my passion and have been since I rode my first trail in Wisconsin."
Ten other trail groups in the United States will also receive localized grants from Coca-Cola, including a single $100,000 grant awarded to finish the connection of the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia to the Chief Ladiga in Alabama.
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