Bike trail development to acknowledge Ho-chunk tribe
Global Action Sports Solutions had an opportunity to help bring to life a mountain bike trail in Maywood Park in Monona, WI, first envisioned by three fifth and sixth-grade boys. The article we came across (Click here to read it) caught our attention and the idea the boys had to acknowledge the land that used to belong to native Americans impressed us. We wanted to do everything to make it happen, so we volunteered our time and efforts to help create the mountain bike trail.
Jeremy Witek, the owner and operator of Global Action Sports Solutions, grew up in Wisconsin, often looking for places to ride his bike.
"It was super hard for me as a kid to ride my bike," he said. "My bike has taken me around the world. I've been to 29 countries, so it's pretty awesome to give back and show what's possible... and support the kids."
That includes the masterminds behind the project: Bennett Chapa, Miles Peterson and Jack Oliver. These three boys, ages 10, 11 and 12, respectively, started working with the city of Monona in December of 2020 to get a mountain bike trail developed at Maywood Park. The park used to belong to the Ho-Chunk tribe, which the boys acknowledged at the public forum.
"We wanted to do a land acknowledgment because this land used to belong to someone else, and we really wanted to show them some respect," said 10-year-old Chapa. "The parks in our city were first Ho-Chunk land, and in the past the government took away land from the Ho-Chunk tribe, and they were also forced to give up the land and leave the state. We respect the Ho-Chunk land and their nation."
We feel blessed to have the ability to support these boys, their ideas and values that water so many great things to grow! The boys have brought so many people together with this concept, with such a positive impact on the community they simply can not understand. Thank you City of Monona and Monona City Parks and Recreation for letting us be a part of this movement.
See more: Watch the news or read the article