wfn.org | 'Bike Shenandoah' raises over $18,000

[Beth Hawn]

Microsoft Mail v3.0 (MAPI 1.0 Transport) IPM.Microsoft Mail.Note
To:  'Worldwide Faith News'
Date: 1998-10-14 15:23
Priority: 3
Message ID: C24853D45A63D211AAB0006008075ABF
Conversation ID: ÈBike ShenandoahÉ raises over $18,000 

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October 14, 1998
Mennonite Board of Missions
Beth Hawn
219-294-7523
<News@MBM.org>

First ever 'Bike Shenandoah' raises over $18,000 for mission

HARRISONBURG, Va. (MBM, MCC, and VMBM) - Planners for the first "Bike   
Shenandoah" fund-raiser had hoped to raise between $10 - 15,000 through   
an October 3 Shenandoah Valley bicycling event to equally benefit   
Mennonite Board of Missions, Mennonite Central Committee, and Virginia   
Mennonite
Board of Missions.

But the event brought in more than $18,000, and one of the planners   
called it "a smashing success," with enthusiastic bikers enjoying their   
choice of 5
trips in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.

A total of 107 riders took part in at least one phase of the ride. An   
additional group of forty including 4-6 year-old children, parents and   
grandparents participated in a one mile leg in the area surrounding   
Eastern Mennonite High School, where bikers started and returned. The   
longest route was 100 miles, through rural areas of Rockingham County   
(Virginia's second largest
county) including rest stops at numerous congregations in rural areas.   
"We wanted to tie this mission fund raising event in to the   
congregations, and
the rest stops they provided were very much appreciated," said John   
Kreider, MBM Development staff person based in Harrisonburg, who had the
original idea for the trip.

Other routes took riders on 62, 30, 10 or 5 miles trips respectively. The   

bikers came from as far away as Indiana, and included seven from
Pennsylvania and one from North Carolina.

"There was strong affirmation for another trip next year, now planned for   
the
last Saturday in September, " said Kreider. "There was also encouragement   

for the broader church to do something like this with 3-way fund raisers
between MBM, MCC and the local conference or mission board."

Paul Yoder, John Jantzi, Myron Lind, Nick Acosta, and Kimberlee
Greenawalt all helped to coordinate the event.

* * *

Melodie M. Davis       PHOTO AVAILABLE