Cyclists Crossing Alabama

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        Contact: Lisa Pierce, (334) 501-4276 or cycle@arm-al.org

 

Bikers Cross State to Raise Funds for Home Repairs

 

OPELIKA – Wednesday, May 1, 2013 – From Friday, May 3, through Sunday, May 5, 6 bikers will be crossing Alabama to raise awareness about the housing needs in some of the poorest areas of our country, while raising money for home repairs in Lee, Macon and Sumter counties.

 

The Fourth Annual Cycle of Service benefits Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), a home-repair ministry based in Opelika. Most of the families ARM serves are led by the elderly, disabled or single parents who live on limited or fixed incomes, said Lisa Pierce, ARM’s executive director. ARM also hosts two free summer day camps for underserved children in Livingston and Tuskegee.

 

This year’s goal is to raise $30,000, which will be applied to the cost of purchasing the construction materials the organization uses in repairing homes for up to 30 families, Pierce said. As of today, riders had already raised more than $3000 toward that goal. Sponsors include Vast Solutions of Tuskegee, Hall's Wholesale Flowers, Flag Electric, University Ace Hardware,  and Jimmy's Car Stereo. Other contributors include the 122nd Troop Support Command Selma, Aldersgate United Methodist Church (UMC) Montgomery, Auburn UMC, Epworth UMC Columbus, Livingston UMC, Memorial UMC, Montgomery Multisport, SES Montgomery, St. Mark UMC Columbus and Tuskegee UMC.

 

Donors can contribute to the cause now and throughout the three-day event by credit card at http://cycleofservice.arm-al.org 

 

Bikers participating in the Cycle of Service will for five to eight hours a day. Profiles of the riders can be found at http://cycleofservice.arm-al.org   The ride begins at 6 a.m. Friday at the Southern Sportsman Hunting Lodge in Livingston and will end early afternoon Sunday in Phenix City.

 

Some riders will participate all three days, while others will join various legs of the ride, mostly along U.S. 80:

 

·         State-Line- to-State-Line Challenge including the Century Ride, 250 miles from the Alabama/Mississippi to the Alabama/Georgia borders,  begins in Livingston and goes through Cuba, Selma, Montgomery and Tuskegee, then ends in Phenix City

·         Century Ride, 115-miles ride on the first day of the three-day ride.

·         State-Line- to-State-Line Challenge, 223 miles from Cuba to Phenix City.

·         Blackbelt Tour, 168 miles starts in Livingston and ends in Tuskegee, or 135 miles, starting in Selma and ending at the Chattahoochee River in Phenix City.

·         Final 45 miles from Tuskegee United Methodist Church parsonage to Phenix City. This leg begins at 8 a.m. Sunday, May 6.

 

A community service work day in Tuskegee will be held from 8:30 a.m.  to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 4. ARM needs volunteers to serve in local home repair and other service areas on that day.  Anyone wanting to volunteer should contact Steve Albritton at (334) 501-4276 or e-mail steve@arm-al.org for information by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 3.

 

For more information, go to http://cycleofservice.arm-al.org  or www.facebook.com/Bikebama