San Francisco, CA / Kansas City, MO - infozine - On the evening of July l9th, a group of 10 bicyclists will arrive in Lawrence, one stop in their ten-week intensive journey across the United States. They will be staying overnight for two nights at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Kansas City, MO.
During their time in Kansas City, the group will be meeting with a number of local community organizations including the Westside Community Action Network (CAN), an organization focusing on neighborhood issues with programs dedicated to day laborer issues. On Wednesday July, 20th at 2 PM, the bicyclists will be volunteering in urban gardens with the Heartland All Species Project.
1. At 2 PM the riders will tour the Urban Wilderness, 5644 Charlotte.
2. They will then go to Troostwood, 52nd Street and Paseo, for a tour with the Troostwood Youth Council kids.
3. Finally the riders will proceed to Tracy Garden, 5630 Tracy Street to work cleaning and weeding. You are welcome to meet us along the way to talk with the touring cyclists. During their ride from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., the riders are stopping at 63 communities to learn about various issues facing a range of different people in addition to spreading awareness about Fair Trade and Sustainable Living the two themes delegated for this years ride. Fair Trade works to correct inequalities by guaranteeing a minimum wage for the small produce harvests, and by encouraging the pesticide-free cultivation of coffee. By using cycling as their mode of transportation, the riders are additionally modeling and promoting environmentally sustainable transportation.
One of the riders, Stephen Tchudi, a retired professor from the University of Nevada commented, All this discussion and community engagement has greatly enhanced my understanding and appreciation of the richness and diversity of our country, as well as the depth of its social, environmental, and economic problems.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Bike-Aid program. Since its inauguration, BikeAid has offered trips to more than 1,300 riders from around the world, providing opportunities for travel from a unique perspective. As part of their training, riders fundraise to receive pledges from friends, family, and other supporters to cover the costs of the program also supporting the work of sponsoring organization Global Exchange.
Global Exchange is an international human rights group based in San Francisco, which is dedicated to promoting political activism and cultural education by fostering people-to people ties both nationally and internationally. This year, Bike-Aid will offer three different rides: the cross-count route, a border ride from San Francisco to Tijuana, and a trip in Hawaii.
Bike-Aid desk (415) 575-5545
