By Dena Rosenberry
PikesPeakSports.us

Randi and Steve Hitchcock tried to stifle a creeping sense of unease. A grant that helped fund their Colorado Springs-based nonprofit, UpaDowna, was running out just as the busy summer season approached in 2014.

Interest in their group bike rides, family hikes and stand-up paddleboarding classes was increasing, but there was little hope of meeting the community's desire to get outside without a new source of funding.

"It's tough to find time to write grants and chase down money when you're leading bike rides and hikes and looking for gear donations, going to parks board meetings, updating the website, Facebook, Twitter..." Randi Hitchcock trails off mid-conversation, as if overwhelmed at the memory. The endless tasks involved in running a nonprofit boggle the mind if you think about them too long. Or at all, really.

At the time, UpaDowna was meeting, informally, at Heuberger Subaru's client lounge in Colorado Springs. The coffee was free and the sofas were comfy, Hitchcock says. (She and Steve have owned a Subaru or two in their day, and felt at home.)

John Adams, Heuberger's director of business development, noticed the pair hanging around and struck up a conversation one afternoon. Just like that, a desire to help the community met a community need.

"Heuberger helped us stay alive," Hitchcock says of the two-year partnership. "We were in danger of cutting programs or cutting people. Cutting something. And suddenly we had a bit of money. Heuberger helped fund ROAR in the City (an annual adventure race), SUP programs, free climbing nights. They really saved us."

What does Heuberger get out of the deal? Exposure to a certain audience, certainly. But it's more than that, says Stacy Brack, who's in charge of media relations for Heuberger.

"The outdoors is what the brand stands for," Brack says. "Subaru is all about the active lifestyle, the outdoors community, sharing adventures with friends and family.

"Subaru owners share a lifestyle of activity, whether that's taking your dog on a daily walk on our trails, riding your bike in our parks or spending your weekend ice climbing," Brack says. "We are happy to support niche communities in Colorado - runners, cyclists, rafters, snowboarders, climbers."

The additional exposure provided by Subaru is "phenomenal," Hitchcock says. "It has helped us expand our reach in the community and helps us feel validated. It's like people say, 'Oh, a long-time company and brand, like Heuberger and Subaru, support this little nonprofit - UpaDowna - so maybe we should, too. It adds a certain legitimacy."

Heuberger also is a regular supporter of Starlight Spectacular, the annual nighttime community bike ride that benefits the Trails and Open Space Coalition, and the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon and Grand Prix of Running.

"It's our pleasure to support events like the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon, which is an important event in the Colorado Springs community and an event that means so much to runners from across the country and even from around the world," Brack says. "A runner's dedication to the sport and to the Pikes Peak region speaks to us as a business.

"We try to support as many events and opportunities as we can," Brack adds. "We get calls all the time asking for help and it's very difficult to choose."

Heuberger has been family owned and operated for more than 40 years and supports the community in many ways. In addition to UpaDowna, Trails and Open Space and running races, the company aids the Hub Bike Shop racing team, Mountain Top Cycling Club, local dog parks, and the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. Its new Adventure Team is a nod to local Subaru owners and their active lifestyles.

"The Adventure Team is different in that it really isn't about sales, it's a group of ambassadors whose basic mission is to foster and share the outdoors lifestyle," Brack says. "You'll see them at this year's Ascent and Marathon, for sure." You can check them out virtually on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The company encourages its employees to get involved in the community.

"Quite a few Heuberger employees have joined our programs, climbing or paddle boarding for the first time," Hitchcock says. "It's a unique opportunity for the staff to try something new and to interact with the community. It's good for everyone."