Eco Lips, New Belgium partnering to raise funds for bicycle coalition

Eco Lips, the premium organic lip balm company based in Cedar Rapids, plans to launch B3 for IBC, a two-month-long fundraising campaigin to benefit the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, in cooperation with new Belgium Brewery.

The campaign will kick off Wednesday, Nov. 2 at the newly renovated CSPS in the New Bohemia Arts and Entertainment District. Eco Lips and New Belgium offer beer tasting and appetizers to compliment each brew.

Entertainment will include live music powered by bicycles, and a short presentation by Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. The event will be free and open to the public.

An after party will follow at the Parlor City Pub & Eatery.

Details of the event are available on the BC for IBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188970554512961&context=create

Eco Lips and New Belgium will work with a different local business to offer drink specials and giveaways every Wednesday from Nov. 9 through Dec. 28. They will donate $1 for each New Belgium beer sold to benefit the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.

Eco Lips CEO Mark Patterson biked in 2004 from Cedar Rapids to San Francisco, visiting microbreweries along the way.

"B3 stands for Bikes, Balm and Beer - three things we are passionate about in Cedar Rapids," Patterson said.

New Belgium Ranger Brandon Parizek said the companies began discussing the partnership earlier this year.

"It seems like a great way to promote an active lifestyle while also promoting safety and awareness," he said.

Participants can enter a contest to win the chance to create the next Eco Lips lip balm. The winner will work with the company's product development team to develop a lip balm to be sold on Eco Lips' website, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Mark Wyatt said the group's partnership with Eco Lips and New Belgium will enable the coalition to establish preferred and designated bicycle networks in the state, increasing safety and making bicycling more enjoyable.