(NOTE: Curt McPhail is a member of the Wofford Class of 1996 and Kelly Lowry is a member of the Class of 1992.)

By Dudley Brown
Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Published: Sunday, July 12, 2009

A non-profit started in Spartanburg has received recognition on the international stage.

Globalbike, which has sent more than 300 bicycles to developing countries for health care workers and teachers, received Beyond Sport's award for best project by a professional sports team in London on Thursday. Curt McPhail and Kelly Lowry, two of globalbike's six founding members, attended the Beyond Sport Summit, which ended Thursday.

"To say it was a surprise is an understatement," McPhail said in an e-mail from London. "I think we have a good project and thought we were deserving, but to get this level of recognition on this stage in front of 600 folks is pretty amazing."

Beyond Sport is a global initiative that celebrates inspirational sports projects seeking to create change. Globalbike was recognized for it's relationship with a professional cycling team that began in the spring to raises awareness about the non-profit while competing in cycling events around the country. The non-profit also has club and recreational teams for amateurs. The teams wear globalbike jerseys and share information about the non-profit's work.

Lowry accepted the award on behalf of globalbike.

"Walking to the stage was a bit surreal," Lowry said from London during a telephone interview. "It brought to my mind and Curt's mind how important what we're doing is."

McPhail, Lowry and four others were at a Spartanburg coffee shop three years ago when they decided to start sending bicycles to developing countries. Individuals, schools and scout troops have made donations toward the purchase of bikes.

Globalbike started by sending bikes to Zambia to help health care workers who sometimes walked six to 10 miles to see just a few patients. The bikes made it possible for those workers to see more patients in a day.

"We decided we could make a difference by making their travel more efficient," Lowry said.

The summit included leadership development training for individuals and organizations, as well as opportunities to meet high-profile people involved in sports and government. Panel discussions with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Richard Branson and Tony Blair took place at the summit.

The award didn't come with any funding, but globalbike will receive support from Beyond Sport. Lowry said he and McPhail have been approached by many organizations that want to partner with globalbike.

"Now we have to deal with the growth this will cause," Lowry said. "We have to figure out how to channel the resources that will come from this."

McPhail agrees.

"This is by far the greatest accomplishment and one that requires a good bit of responsibility," McPhail said. "It is something that we have hoped for. (It's) something that will put us on the international map and will require us to take our work far beyond where we currently are."