blue dots background image

Uncategorized

Top 10 things I don’t keep count of when on my bike

Training for a 300 mile bike ride means keeping count of many things such as days left until the ride (27), mileage logged (1870 since last year) and of course funds raised (more than $450,000 for Chefs Cycle 2016 as of this morning.  But during one of my 44 mile training rides last week out to Mount Vernon and back I’ve realized there are also many things I avoid counting. These are the top ten:

          The number of riders who pass me (too many too keep track)

          The number of gnats swallowed riding through Rock Creek Park at dusk  (enough protein to skip dinner)

          The number of times I’ve ended a ride at Ben and Jerry’s

          The combined age of my knees

          The number of hills between Carmel and Santa Barbara as displayed on this year’s route map

          The staggering number of miles that Jen Jinks. Lucy Melcher and Courtney Smith are logging each week.

          The number of orthopedic surgeons available in the DC area.

          The number of well-meaning people who ask “YOU are doing the ride?”

          The number of tattoo’s I would need to match ride leader Jason Roberts

          The number of dollars we will raise next year with 300 riders!

On the other hand, the most important thing to be sure to count is the number of new supporters – either riders or donors – who are learning what it means to share their strength and are getting behind our No Kid Hungry campaign. If last year is any guide that will number in the thousands. Our intellectual design challenge has always been to create new ways in which others can share their strength.  We usually use “strength” to refer to the skills, talents, and gifts one has to share.  But in this context it refers to a physical strength that our supporters work first to build and then to share. Such commitment will bond them to our cause for a long time.

Related News

Baby Brain Development
22 April 2024
Release

RELEASE: Share Our Strength Provides Key Funding to State-Based Advocates to Support Food Security Policy Initiatives for Children and Families

Medicaid Food Security Network Addresses Food and Nutrition Insecurity with an Emphasis On Closing the Enrollment Gap in SNAP and...

Jeremiah Program: Baltimore Center
09 April 2024
Story

Helping Kids by Helping Single Moms

Can you imagine how far kids could go if their moms weren’t worried about affording groceries or paying the rent?...

young children shareourstrength.org
14 March 2024
Release

RELEASE: Share Our Strength Unveils Groundbreaking Investment of $6.7 Million to Advance Economic Mobility for Single Mothers and Their Children

Initiative to Address Root Causes of Food Insecurity and Financial Instability Through Partnerships with 28 Organizations [Media: For photos and...