Across America by Bicycle, Part 2. Becoming Family.

The Cycling for Change (C4C) through riders would number 12. In addition to Father Matt and his parish assistant, Bethany Paul,

we would include:

Dr. Tom Whittaker, JD MD. Physician and surgeon, University of Kansas Department of Ophthalmology.

Lissa Whittaker, Owner of Rapid Transcript, a Federal Court Transcription service.

John Mocella, retired and a volunteer with Catholic Charities of Kansas City.

Sara Terhune, Graduate student.

Karl Schafer, Physical Therapist.

Jeremy Ruzich, Photographer.

John Stigers, Retired postal worker.

Deborah Hellinger, DO. Musculoskeletal Radiologist.

Jason Christiansen, CEO of Catholic Charities of Colorado Springs.

and me.

Our support team on the road would consist of:

Stephen Belt, Flight training director St. Louis University.

Tom and Joy Comeau, SFX parish members. (Joy passed away late in 2018. In less than a month Tom followed. Love long shared resists separation.)

and my wife, Christine, owner and Director of Northland Dependency Services.

Logistics and administration in Kansas City would be in the hands of  Catholic Charities staff Suzanne Cronkhite and Kathy Conwell.

C4C was scheduled to begin on Memorial Day 2010 in Cape Flattery Washington and conclude 100 days and 5,000 miles later with riders crossing the “Finish Line” on Labor Day in Key West Florida.

As viewed in January of 2009, Memorial Day 2010 seemed a long way off, but there was so much to do. Each participant had committed to engage in considerable group and individual fundraising. There were events to plan and host, promotional rides to organize, meetings… and of course the training. Each of us had to continue with the routine challenges of home, family, and work while juggling the significant requirements of C4C. The 16 of us began 2009 as relative strangers. By the end of that year we were family.

Next: 2009-10 Promotion and Preparation.

Peace Everyone. Pete