A group co-founded by CBRE broker Ben Bastian and The Appraisal Group’s Kelsey Hornig wrapped up its third season of preparing bicycles to be donated to children in need in Minnesota's Twin Cities region.
Members of the group, pictured, known as Commercial Real Estate Cyclists, or C.R.E.C., have volunteered at Free Bikes 4 Kidz Minnesota, cleaning and refurbishing bikes donated by the public to eventually make their way to kids. C.R.E.C. capped the day of volunteering by making a $2,500 donation to Free Bikes 4 Kidz Minnesota, a nonprofit group with a mission to help kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood.
Bastian and Hornig created C.R.E.C. in 2021 as a networking and community volunteer organization of commercial real estate pros in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The organization, with 100 members from 77 companies, is sponsored by local and national real estate companies. C.R.E.C. hosts local monthly events, including rides, skills clinics and overnight trips to northern Minnesota and Leadville, Colorado.
“We started this group as an alternative to networking on the golf course for those of us that love to ride,” Bastian said in a statement. “Members have met and done business with other riders of the group that they wouldn’t have met otherwise. Having a common interest outside of work is key in our business.”
Looking ahead, Hornig said in a statement, "With the growth in various cycling disciplines, including mountain biking, gravel riding, commuting and eBikes, we are excited for the opportunity to expand the C.R.E.C. network to encompass new chapters on a local and international level."