Sarah Elkins
By Matthew Young, RealWV
Sarah Elkins is many things – a writer, a poet, a coach, an entrepreneur, and a natural born leader. The only person who doesn’t realize that Sarah Elkins is a rockstar is Sarah Elkins.
Here’s an example:
“What’s left of the October sun,
Held briefly in the top fronds
Of the distant spruce and white pine
Are somewhere between fire-gold,
Doe-brown and maple-orange”
See what I mean? I’m nowhere near alone when I say that I would give my left eye to write like that. (Although in fairness, that eye doesn’t work anymore, anyway. But my fingers all mostly still work, and I’d definitely give up one of those to write like that. I’d just probably have to write a little slower).
Sarah is all of these things, and so much more – certainly not the least of which is a vital part of the community that is our Mountain State. The passion she has for everything she does is enough to inspire awe in even the most cynical of cynics, and the love she has for the youth of our state seemingly has no limits.
“When it comes to building strong minds, bodies, and character – no one does it better than Sarah Elkins,” fellow mountain bike enthusiast Ben Isenberg told us. “Sarah dedicates countless hours to providing opportunities for kids to explore the outdoors on bikes. Her compassion for the kids is truly remarkable. Her dedication goes beyond just biking; it’s about building a culture of support, growth, and adventure.”
Through her love of mountain biking, Sarah has both connected with people, and been a connection for them. As Emily Chittenden-Laird puts it, “Part of Sarah’s gift is her devotion to making mountain biking accessible for everyone.”
Every spring, Emily explained, Sarah organizes weekly GRiT rides (Girls Riding Together), which are open to any woman or girl interested in the sport.
“I have learned so much from her in those spaces,” Emily says, “The welcoming and supportive environment she creates never feels intimidating, which is saying a lot for a sport which can seem out of reach for beginners.”
Along with her husband, Max Hammer, Sarah runs Hammer Cycles in Lewisburg. In March, however, Sarah took time away from the world of mountain biking to serve as a judge for the Poetry Out Loud State Finals. Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide competition that helps high schoolers develop confidence in themselves, and teaches them both the nuances of literary history and the complexities of contemporary life.
“Sarah has always been a gal who went for it,” her good friend Clay Elkins said. “She whole asses it – whatever IT is! For the last decade, Sarah has been the backbone of the growing biking community in the Greenbrier Valley, and beyond. From her efforts and energy at Hammer Cycles, to leading the charge with Greenbrier Valley Off-Road Biking Association (GVORBA), to her inspirational coaching with the youth mountain biking team – Greenbrier Valley Hellbenders – Sarah is a force to be reckoned with!”
“But there’s so much more to Sarah than just bikes,” Clay added. “Sarah loves teaching, and her students love her. She has recently gotten back in the classroom after a hiatus. The classroom is where Sarah can do even more good and touch more of the lives of youth.”
Of her service as judge, Sarah said, “I was amazed by the kid’s performances, and the amount of poise that they have. When they really landed it – when you knew that they really knew the poem they were reciting – it would floor me.”
Now, my 11-year-old son is not a poet. I hope there will come a time in his life when he discovers the pain and the beauty in the words of Pablo Neruda and Daniel Haberman, but today is not that day. What he has discovered the pain and beauty in, however, is mountain biking. And luckily for my kid, and for his mother and I, he rides for Sarah’s team of Hellbenders.
“Sarah’s impact on this community is beyond words,” Callie Isenberg tells us. “She has helped our children push themselves and grow confidence in their abilities on the bike and in the community. Honestly, she’s helped me do the same thing. Sarah is someone I am always happy to spend time with. She is not only a poet, a business owner, a councilwoman, a coach, a teacher and a mother, but also my friend. For that, I am the most grateful.”
Of that impact, Greenbrier County Commission President Tammy Tincher said, “Sarah has been the mastermind behind the bicycle community here in Greenbrier County.”
“With her creative and collaborative mindset, she, along with several other outdoor enthusiasts, have created a consortium of opportunity to promote healthy activity and economic development in the Greenbrier Valley,” Tincher added.
She’s helping my son learn to be more confident in a way that I never could, and he’s soaking up every bit of the passion she’s sharing with him. But it’s not just my kid – it’s every kid on the team.
Sarah cares for every kid who comes into Hammer Cycles, and every kid who doesn’t. Sarah cares for every kid who has the courage to get up on stage and expose their vulnerability to the world through the poems they speak. Sarah cares for the citizens of Lewisburg, where she has served as a dedicated member of the City Council since 2019.
And Sarah cares about you – even if she’s never met you. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Just ask her husband – her partner in riding, her partner in business, and her partner in crime…
“Sarah supports and encourages me, while being the agent of change in my life,” Max tells us. “She is quick to action while I will avoid action and overthink things. There is so much that she does to help me put my ideas into motion – the bike shop, the Youth Mountain bike team and now the Trail enhancement and bike park projects we have in the works. Sarah does the work, the planning, the communicating, and so much more. She wears many hats.”
So, for being the writer I wish I was, the coach I could never be, the change agent Max leans on, the collaborator Tammy looks to, and the friend and leader we all need, we are overwhelmingly proud to name Sarah Elkins as the certified Real West Virginian of the Week. We are lucky that we’re able to call her one of our own, and I will forever call her one of West Virginia’s better angels.
Have someone you’d like to nominate? Email us at news@therealwv.com.
