The Las Vegas Cyclist Memorial (LVCM), established to support the families of five Las Vegas cyclists killed in a tragic accident on Thursday, Dec. 10, announces Lamar Advertising has donated 68 digital billboards, including billboards at Allegiant Stadium. The billboards, located throughout the valley, will generate hundreds of millions of impressions, delivering a message to drive contributions to www.lasvegascyclistmemorial.com.The goal is to raise $1 million for the families of Aksoy Ahmet, 48, Michael Murray, 57, Gerrard Nieva, 41, Erin Ray, 39, and Tom Trauger, 57.
“This tragedy has touched so many people in our community. Lamar’s decision to make this donation was simple; we could contribute so we did so. Our priority is to support the families whose lives were impacted by this event,” said Christopher Prickett, Lamar Advertising, vice president and territory manager.
Many Las Vegas residents and companies have contributed to the fund as well as those in the cycling industry. Mike Sinyard, founder and CEO of Specialized Bicycle Components, made a personal contribution of $20,000.
“We are so grateful for the generosity of people in Las Vegas and cycling. While we grieve this unthinkable loss and work to support the families of our friends, we realize that how Nevada responds to this tragedy will have significant impact. Our residents deserve peace of mind while cycling. Economically, outdoor recreation tourism is Nevada’s future. Electric bikes are blowing up the market because they make cycling accessible to more people, so Nevada must cultivate safe outdoor recreation experiences for residents and visitors. Our state must be exemplary in leadership for safe cycling,” says Heather Fisher, Save Red Rock president.
On Saturday, Dec. 19, local cyclist Michael Anderson, who was riding with the group at the time of the accident, will host a virtual Nipton Loop Cyclists Memorial Ride. The event is hosted on Zwift, a multiplayer online cycling and running training program that enables users to interact, train, and compete online. The ride starts at 7 a.m. PT; people can register for Zwift platform for free; the event can be found at http://bit.ly/2IRIWg3.
