We get involved in the communities in which we live and invest, and we contribute time and resources to worthy causes with demonstrated needs or in which we have particular interest.

U.S. Olympic Hopeful
Universal is one of the sponsors of an aspiring Olympic cyclist, Arielle Martin. Arielle and three other women have been selected to represent the USA as a part of the USA Cycling funded team.  These four women, including Arielle, will train at the US Olympic facility in San Diego, and two of them will be selected to represent the USA in Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Arielle (22-years-old) has been racing in BMX events since the age of five.  She won four national #1 amateur titles by the time she was 15-years-old.  She became the youngest girl pro on the 2000 ABA BMX circuit at the age of 15.  In April 2007, Arielle graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science. She uses her education to fine tune her training, nutrition, and mental power to help achieve her goal: Olympic Gold.

In Arielle's own words, "Racing is not just a passion, a hobby, or a job for me; it's an obsession... I'm in it because I truly love to ride my bike. I'm in it to win."
View Additional Images of Arielle

Children's Art Competition
In November and December 2007, Universal sponsored an art competition in a Phoenix-area school district for Kindergartners through high school seniors. The theme of the competition was "What Makes Our City Great." Winners received a new bicycle and helmet.
View Images from the Event

Orphanage in El Faro, Mexico
The orphanage in El Faro, Mexico houses dozens of children in an extremely impoverished area. Universal has contributed time and resources to the orphanage beginning in 2006. Truck loads of donations, including food, clothing, bedding and other basic needs, have been collected from generous people in our neighborhoods in Arizona and have been delivered to the orphanage. Maintenance on the facility has also been completed. Click here to view some pictures of the El Faro orphanage and those involved in the effort.