• By RJ Walters, Editor •
Cyclists for the Ride for Haiti 2011 are gearing up for another adventure that will cover just over 400 miles in six days.
But it’s not going to just be a third go-round of the annual ride to raise money for United Methodist mission in Haiti, it’s going to bigger and better than ever before.
This year’s ride, set for June 6-11, is prepared to accommodate as many as 50 long-distance cyclists on a ride that will begin in Coloma, Mich. and end at the Mackinac Bridge.
“Last year was a good year, but we had requests from avid cyclists who wanted to be on the team. Because we were staying in host family homes along the way we had to keep it team-sized,” said ride coordinator the Rev. Rob Nystrom in a press release. “But 2011 is going to be different. We’re planning on camping along the way and that will allow us to register up to 50 cyclists.”
Riders can still sign up for the voyage at www.haitiride.org. Registration is $100 until May 15 ($120 after) and participants must secure a minimum of $400 in sponsorship donations to go toward the goal of raising $20,000 this year.
The registration pays for support and gear, transportation of bags, breakfast and dinner throughout the trip, and a special Ride for Haiti 2011 cycling jersey (with $500 in pledges) and T-shirt.
This year’s ride will be modeled after the NUMB (Nebraska United Methodist Bike) Ride For Hunger, thanks to inspiration from Roger Cox, who recently relocated to Michigan from Nebraska. He is an active member of the Church of the Dunes UMC in Grand Haven.
The NUMB Ride For Hunger has raised more than $463,000 for world hunger projects since 1996 and it had a record 144 participants in 2010.
“Roger has been a Godsend. He knows what it takes and how to organize a major cycling event,” said Nystrom, the pastor of Birchwood UMC in Battle Creek.
Nystrom said he and Cox plan on utilizing the “Methodist connectional system” for riders along the way and they have received a great response from churches they will pass by on their journey.
The 2010 Ride for Haiti raised nearly $18,000 in support of Michigan Area Volunteers in Mission (VIM) work in Haiti and Nystrom’s inaugural solo effort in 2009 netted $12,500 to purchase bio-sand water filter systems for United Methodist schools in Haiti.
The money raised from this year’s ride will go to The Methodist Children’s Orphanage in Port-au-Prince and Haitian Artisans for Peace International (HAPI).
“This year we decided to honor the incredible work that the late Rev. Paul Doherty gave so much of himself in,” Nystrom said. “Paul (who passed away July 26, 2010) designated his memorial fund for The Methodist Children’s Orphanage, and we have a special bond with that project.”
HAPI is a project West Michigan Conference staff member Valerie Mossman-Celestin helped found.
People can follow the rider’s trek at www.haitiride.org. They can also donate by sending a check to the West Michigan Conference Treasurer and write “RFH” on the memo line. For additional details contact Roger Cox at rgcox2@gmail.com.
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