The Coca-Cola Company

Enhancing Community Paths And Bike Trails Across The U.S.

June 30, 2006 edition

For 20 years, the Rails to Trails Conservancy has been transforming abandoned railroad corridors into trails for biking, walking and rollerblading. A gift of $500,000 from Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) will enable the organization to provide more recreational opportunities for communities across the country.

The gift to Rails to Trails includes $100,000 that will serve as a catalyst to complete the unfinished sections of the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia and the Chief Ladiga corridor in Alabama that joins the Silver Comet at the state line. The trail will eventually extend from Atlanta to Anniston, Alabama. Other gifts for trail development are being awarded to Rails to Trails organizations in 13 communities across the United States. This gift builds on the DASANI® "Blue Bikes" program that provides more than 150 bikes for free use on approximately 200 miles of trails in eight cities across the country.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy was established in 1986 and now has 13,000 miles of trails throughout the Unites States and another 2,000 miles in development.

Our Company has a long history of supporting and encouraging sports and physical fitness programs for both young people and adults. This past year, CCNA connected with more than 4 million young people through its various youth programs, including: Live it!, a physical activity and nutrition education program for middle school students; Copa Coca-Cola, a soccer tournament for teens; and TRIPLE PLAY, a $12 million dollar after-school program with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Kraft Foods and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.