Kicks for Kids Foundation
Social Circus Foundation Collecting Unicycles For Kids
The Social Circus Foundation, Inc.(SCF) in Ludlow, Kentucky – the Greater Cincinnati region’s most unique foundation focused on supporting programs that use 
circus acts to strengthen and enhance lives, is partnering with Reser Bicycle Outfitters and Circus Mojo to collect 100 unicycles for social circuses that are helping underserved children succeed in the Tri-State and across the globe. The drive goes through August 31, 2013. Drop off locations are below.
Social circuses are organizations that utilize circus skills such as juggling, balancing, spinning plates and riding unicycles as to teach kids of all abilities lessons in determination, focus, self-esteem, teamwork, coordination, creativity, and values. Social circuses provide educational help, nourishment and enrichment.
How will the unicycles be used?
This summer, through Ludlow’s Circus Mojo, the SCF wants to give Greater Cincinnati urban youth who are attending camp with scholarships funded by the Kicks for Kids Foundation, each a unicycle to continue practicing their skills. Additionally, the SCF will send unicycles to Kenya’s Kiberia Social Circus and Indonesia’s Hidung Merah Youth Circus.
Meshu Tamrat, the founder of the Kiberia Social Circus, and Wawan Kuriawan, a student of the Hidung Merah Youth Circus, are both artists in residence this summer at Circus Mojo. Kuriawan, 18, is from an impoverished village in North Jakarta, Indonesia. He dropped out of school in the 6th grade when his family was unable to pay for his education; and in 2009 joined the Red Nose Foundation. Circus Mojo is sponsoring his visa to study here.
“Before beginning Circus Mojo, I toured the world teaching performing and teaching. One of my former students was a refugee from the Sudan and a great unicycle performer who was tragically killed by gang violence,” said Circus Mojo Founder, Paul Miller. “Remembering him, we want to give other youth opportunities to grow. We know that the fun, enriching type of environment social circuses provide can channel young energy in a productive way and change lives. We have a theory that on every street within the I-275 loop is a unicycle collecting dust in a basement attic or garage, and we want to put those unicycles to great use.”
Drop-off locations for unicycle donation:
Reser Bicycle Outfitters
648 Monmoth Street
Newport, Ky 41071
Reser Bicycle Outfitters
1419 Vine Street
Over-the-Rhine, Oh 45202
Circus Mojo
326 Elm Street
Ludlow, Ky 41016
Unicycles can also be brought to the Devou Park Amphitheatre on August 31, 2013 for Cirque Devou Deux, a joint performance from the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and Circus Mojo. Show begins at 7:30PM.
The Social Circus Foundation is also accepting monetary donations to help offset the shipping expense to Kenya and Indonesia. To make a donation, please visit www.socialcircus.wordpress.com.
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About the Social Circus Foundation
The Social Circus Foundation INC supports programs using circus to enhance the lives of people with disabilities and hospitalized children at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, for vocational training, and to study the impact of social circus.
About Circus Mojo
Founded in 2009 by former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey clown Paul Miller, Circus Mojo engages people of all ages to focus on abilities in hospitals, boardrooms, events, workshops, and other venues. With three focus areas – entertainment, education and community development – its programs and performances are designed to unlock personal talent, confidence, drive and spirit.
About Jason Reser
Jason has been involved in the bicycle industry since he was a very, very young guy. He’s a former Ohio and Kentucky state mountain biking champion and spent all of high school employed at Bishop’s Bicycles. Since the beginning Jason has been seriously committed to bicycle advocacy. He spends as much time in the shop as he does lobbying for mountain bike trails and improvements for bicycling across the region.
