The proposed pilot launch of the West Virginia University student organization Mountie Ride will be postponed due to unforeseen legal circumstances.
Mountie Ride was scheduled to preview their program this weekend, Dec. 3-4, and has officially canceled the event.
“Mountie Ride needs to be perfect before we launch , and this might take some extra time that will be worth it in the long run,” said Megan Callaghan, a junior psychology and criminology major from Charleston and Mountie Ride executive. “I am still and always will be optimistic about our eventual operation.”
Mountie Ride, a student-run nonprofit organization at WVU, is designed to facilitate a safe and reliable commuting environment in the Morgantown area. By providing free, non-judgmental rides home to students, the organization offers an alternative to driving under the influence or walking alone.
Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, the legal counsel from the WVU College of Law, advised Mountie Ride executives to put a hold on this coming weekend after pursuing further research on running the program. The next step for the organization is to finalize safety documents.
Cameron Taylor, founder of Mountie Ride and senior business management major from Morgantown, says that members of the organization are anxiously awaiting the pilot program and are excited for what the future will bring.
“In order for Mountie Ride to be a success and a viable long-term program, we need to take care of the paperwork first,” Taylor said. “We know that to be a staple safety program, all possible areas must be covered. We feel it is appropriate to follow the word of our legal counsel to make sure everything is ironed out before going any further.”
Mountie Ride’s official program launch is still expected to occur in the spring semester, Callaghan said.
“This is merely a speed bump to get Mountie Ride on the road,” Callaghan said. “Soon enough, we will be back on our plan to help our fellow Mountaineers.”
-WVU-
mm/12/03/10
CONTACT: Missy Pforr, Mountie Ride
304-293-0576, mpforr@hsc.wvu.edu