Alabama Rural Ministry

Cyclists Crossing Alabama

Friday, April 11, 2014

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

Cyclists Cross State to Raise Funds for Home Repairs

OPELIKA – Friday, April 11, 2014 – From Friday, May 2, through Sunday, May 4, 11 cyclists 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. Their ride will cover 100 miles a day for three days and is triple century challenge.

The Fifth 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 $25,000, 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. Riders are currently gaining sponsors and it is not too late to register  to ride at http://www.active.com or our website.

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 7:30 a.m. Friday at Auburn United Methodist Church and will end Sunday afternoon in Cuba, Alabama.

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 Triple Century Ride, 300 miles from the Alabama/Georgia to the Alabama/Mississippi borders,  begins in Auburn and goes through Phenix City, Tuskegee, Montgomery, Selma, and Cuba.
• Freedom Riders Century Ride: Saturday May 3rd from Tuskegee to Selma

A community service work day in Tuskegee will be held from 8:30 a.m.  to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 3. 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 April 27th.

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