8 Cyclists Ready to Roll!

Apr 212015

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

3 Days, 3 States, 300 Miles-Cyclists Cross Alabama to Raise Funds for Poverty Housing Alleviation

OPELIKA – Tuesday, April 21, 2015 –

Just 3 days away! From Friday, April 24-April 26th, 8 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 a triple century challenge.

The Sixth Annual Cycle of Service benefits Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), a home-repair ministry based in Opelika. Most of the households 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 10 families, Pierce said. We are also renovating a community outreach center in Tuskegee, Alabama. Riders are currently gaining sponsors and it is not too late to register to ride at 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 ride 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 near Livingston, Alabama.

Some riders will participate all three days, while others will join various legs of the ride.

Friday April 24- Day 1: Auburn to Georgia State Line to Tuskegee

Saturday April 25-Day 2: Tuskegee to Selma via HW 14

Sunday April 26-Day 3: Selma to the AL/MS state line via HW 80 (will end north of Livingston, AL)

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

A community service work day in Tuskegee will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25th at Tuskegee Methodist Church 202 S. Main Street Tuskegee, AL. Volunteers will be continuing our efforts to renovate a church being repurposed into a Community Outreach Center.

For more information, contact Lisa Pierce, lisa@arm-al.org or (334) 332-8878 (cell).

Cycling to Serve

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Mar 202015

Saturdays are something special at ARM. On average of two Saturdays a month it is when we get to be with our families and hear more of their story and share ours. It is when our friends from the local community and around the state come out and put their hands, hearts, and a few hammers together to make some much needed repairs on a home. Joining hands in the morning and afternoon to pray together, laughing as we eat, fellowship, and share some reflections about the scriptures; all of these make for a day that looks a lot like the kingdom Jesus said was here and would be fulfilled at His return. And when the day is closing, we can see the light of joy as a person like Ms. Brenda can smile at her new windows that are now water and air proof. Radiating with joy, she beams as she sees new siding and fresh paint. Hugging each “friend”, she praises Jesus! For me, it is a reminder of hope and what living in genuine Christian community looks like. I literally live for Saturdays.

That is why events like our 6th Annual Cycle of Service mean so much. Being one of the main ways we raise funds to support our home repair and children’s ministry, we always look forward to the experience of a celebrated and anticipated finish. So, what does this ride really look like?

Imagine sitting in a bicycle seat for about 6 hours and getting off maybe once per hour for 15-20 minutes. Can you hear the colorful conversations of 5-6 other fellow cyclists having a similar experience?
Imagine a long blacktop with some rolling hills. Hills that have you out of breath at the crest but that bring great reward as you coast down-usually at about 27-30 mile per hour.
Sun…rain…wind-with a myriad of combinations…
Imagine the evening where your legs and back remind you of the physical sacrifice you just made after 100 miles of pedaling.
Now multiply that by 3.

To cycle with us, you have to commit to getting sponsors and raising at minimum $1200. Through emails, Facebook, and letter writing campaigns, they get individuals and businesses to make a financial commitment. It is touching how passionate our riders are and how much they care about the ministry of ARM and wanting to be a small part of its influence, outreach, and Kingdom work. On the ride, we are supported by local churches and groups who feed us and provide a place to shower and sleep. Again, it is a reminder of the radical hospitality usually only found among followers of Christ.

As April 24-26th approaches, we are training, tending to our bikes, and working in some long rides before the big weekend. I hope you will surround this event with your thoughts and prayers. Maybe you can give a small donation in support of the ride. Our $25,000 goal will be applied to 10 more family’s houses like Ms. Brenda mentioned above and the Tuskegee Mission Hub we are currently renovating.

We’ll keep you posted as we draw closer to the event. Here is the link to the Cycle of Service web page if you would like to make a gift. Thank you so much! Much love and pedals :))) Lisa

www.cycleofservice.arm-al.org

Riders at the Georgia line

3 Days, 3 States, 300 Miles- Cycle of Service

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Mar 032015

The information is up and we are taking registrations! We hope you can come ride with us as we travel from Auburn to Georgia and back across Alabama to end in Cuba. Talk about intensity and a challenge! Come join us for 3 days, 2 days, or just 1. We guarantee it will be a blast. More to come!!!!

Disaster Strikes

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May 032014

Salem tornado damage

The morning is bright and slightly cool. The sun will warm us as we head out, and soon we will be simply hot. But again, it is worth it.

Yesterday’s ride held a tense excitement. We were all eager to ride and yet we knew by day’s end we would be exhausted, sore in places you did not know existed, and sun burned despite repeated latherings of sun screen. Also, we knew we were riding through the areas hit by an F3 tornado but not sure what that was like.

It was like a disaster zone… mobile homes lay completely flipped over and crushed. Pieces of metal from a roof draped from a pine tree. Clothes and snapped timber, once the structure and contents of a home, littered the landscape. There was nothing in order here. And everything out of order represented a mother, father, grandmother, children and pets who are part of the family fabric. Every displaced item has a story. We stopped at the disaster headquarters to check in and talk with the Red Cross and EMA volunteers. Due to the weekdays, they had not had the volunteer base as of yet but were looking to Saturday.

So we thought, we prayed, and it made what we are riding for take on meaning. In a few short days, we may be the volunteers going to help. Some of those families will ones that we can help in the future. And we are grateful to be the body of Christ at that moment.

As we embark today on our way to Selma we will remember. Today’s ride is called the Freedom Rider’s Century. We will start in Tuskegee and make our way through Montgomery and end in Selma for the day. Montgomery was recently voted the most historic city in the nation. It is home of one of the Civil Rights Museum. Today Tuskegee is celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the George Washington Carver festival. GWC is a legacy figure to all of us known for his work with peanuts and several facets of agriculture. When we cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, we will recall those who risked and gave their lives for equality, the right to vote, and the right to be treated with dignity and fairness. Injustice still exists today and as the body of Christ, our banner cry is to come alongside with love and grace that only Christ could give.

We are eager to ride and thank you for your gifts and grace!

Cycle of Service Riders on a Roll!

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May 052013

A few reflections from the ride so far:

Day 1: Six riders with big dreams and a looming challenge. Starting temperature, 65 degrees, partly sunny. Wind was coming out of the East meaning it was against us. Wind was around 16mph with some gusts around 30mph. Needless to say, it was a grueling ride. For the most part, we all stayed together riding in formation to maximize efficiency. But personally, I got super tired and eventually wanted to quit. I was grateful to Dave who hung with me and continued to encourage me. The night before we heard a devotion from Charles Walters in Livingston about being salt and what salt does. For us riding, doing something different and challenging is certainly salt as we hopefully add flavor to what we do.

Day 2: It rained all night in Selma. We were not sure if we would be able to ride or at least how wet we would be the following day. At 6:15 am it was still raining. But by the time we pulled out-it was sunny although cold. The wind had shifted from blowing east to now being behind us. We were deeply encouraged. Again the graciousness of churches like Livingston, Memorial in Selma and Aldersgate in Montgomery stood out to us. So many have come out to help in a small way by praying, providing a meal, and of course giving.

We rolled into Tuskegee today-and all together. I was grateful to not fall behind and I know that is was due to the team slowing their pace a bit. Although the weather was chilly, it allowed for a great ride and not nearly as brutal as the previous day.

As we closed out our time of devotion, we reflected on Paul’s letter to the Colossians and especially Ch 3 that calls us to do all that we do in the name of Jesus. We have much work to do as followers of Jesus and how we represent our risen Lord. We are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit that gives us our strength and endurance.

Finally, it is for our families. Families who may be low income but full of love. They simply need just a small surge of help for a repair like a roof or maybe a wheel chair ramp that are way beyond a budget of $700/month. More, having the community of faith surround them is such an incredible encouragement. Being together in Christ should cross barriers of race, age, gender, socio-economic status and any other barrier we can imagine. This is what the power of Jesus’ love equips us to do in His kingdom. It has been a fun time and we are so blessed!

Until tomorrow-42 miles to go! you can help us out by using the donate button on this site!

Grace and peace,

lisa

: Edmund Pettus Bridge Selm

Registration Now Open!

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Feb 022013

Cycle of Service State to State Ride May 3-5 2013

Do you love Biking? (or supporting the event)?

Does the problem of poverty frustrate you?

Do you want to make a difference in your community?

What is Cycle of Service? It is an intense but fun 3 day bike ride across the state to raise awareness about poverty housing in Alabama and raise money for home repair in Lee, Macon, and Sumter counties. Is this important? In counties such as Macon and Sumter, over 35% of the population struggles with poverty. What does that mean for someone’s home? It means a leaking roof when it rains, an unsafe floor from dry rot, or maybe the need for a wheel chair ramp. But on a limited or fixed income these problems get bigger and bigger. Cycling with us helps us repair homes for these families and extend the love of Christ to them! You can be a part of the solution to ending the cycle of poverty in Alabama! Come join this fun team and bike with us!

So what will we do? On May 3rd, riders riding across the state will meet in Livingston at the Southern Sportsman Hunting Lodge which is where we will launch our ride.

Options:

3 Day Ride:

Option A: Century Ride option (Livingston,Cuba, to Selma)

Option B: State Line Challenge begins (Cuba to Selma)

2 Day Ride:

Option A: Livingston to Tuskegee City (May 3 and 4)

Option B: Selma to Phenix City (May 4 and 5)

1 Day Ride:

Option A: Livingston to Selma (May 3)

Option B: Selma to Tuskegee (May 4)- Saturday Challenge! (We’ll shuttle you from Auburn on Friday to ride with us on Saturday)

Option C: Family Fun Ride (May 4)- Start at noon in Montgomery and end in Tuskegee (35 miles)

Registration is now open! Register by March 1st and get a complimentary journey

Registration closes on April 10th

Riders Ready to Roll!

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May 032012

Help us pass this on!!!!! Please forward this info and help us achieve our goal of $30,000 which will help us repair 30 more homes in the Black Belt areas. Homes that have roofs caving in from leaks, disabled seniors who need a wheelchair ramp and so much more! Feel free to pass this press release info about our ride!

Bikers Cross State to Raise Funds for Home Repairs

OPELIKA – Wednesday, May 2, 2012 – From Friday, May 4, through Sunday, May 6, 10 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 Third 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 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 $13,000 toward that goal. Sponsors include the Alabama Retail Association, Best Copies, Carr Allison, Country’s Barbecue, Dilworth Development Inc., Dynamic Sports Products, James Bros. Bikes, J. Smith Lanier & Co., Mann’s Wildlife Timberlands, Scott Bridge Co., Shakey’s Pizza, Singleton Marine Group, Leigh Ann Tyler/State Farm Huntsville and Young Photography. Other contributors include the 122^nd 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 ride during morning hours before stopping to serve communities in the afternoons. Profiles of the riders can be found athttp://cycleofservice.arm-al.org The ride begins at 6 a.m. Friday at the Southern Sportsman Hunting Lodge in Livingston and should end about midday 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 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5. ARM needs volunteers to serve in local home repair and other service areas on that day. Anyone wanting to volunteer should contact Christina Walton at (205) 910-5399 or e-mail Christina@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

Registration for the 3rd Annual!

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Feb 012012

The registration and information about our 3^rd Annual Cycle of Service is up! Will you take the challenge to cycle (and we mean pedal) from the Mississippi line to the Georgia line? Will you sacrifice physically, mentally, and spiritually, to help families know the love of Christ in a very hands on way? Then come on this amazing three day journey with us!

All the details are on the Cycle of Service web site www.cycleofservice.arm-al.org. But in summary, we’ll meet in Livingston on Thursday evening, May 3^rd. The ride launches early on May 4^th from Southern Sportsman lodge. Our destination is Selma. The next day we ride to Tuskegee and participate in a home repair project. The third day, we complete our ride in Phenix City at the Chattahoochee River.

Riders gain sponsors and we our team goal is to raise $30K! So come on out cycle and serve!

Registration is open now until April 20^th! See you on the ride!

What a Ride!

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Jul 012011

This time last week we had driven to Livingston eager for the Cycle of Service bike ride to begin. Nine of us arrived and were hosted by Livingston UMC for an incredible dinner with some very special guests. Two work teams, a disaster team from Jasper, GA, and a traditional home repair and day camp team from Goshen, Indiana (Beulah UMC) had joined us. Reverend Wilson Kendrick served as our key note speaker and talked about how God uses us to become His miracles and how each of us play a role in service. Also sitting in our midst was Ms. Allie Brown and her family who joined us for dinner. Ms. Allie’s home was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and now she was finally receiving help and encouraging all of our workers. It was a great night and inspired us all for the challenge which faced us. We were grateful for the ARM staff in Livingston for helping put this together!

As a snapshot, the first day, five of our riders completed a Century ride actually riding 112 miles from Livingston to the state line in Cuba and then onto Selma. We were grateful for the help of Memorial UMC who hosted us that evening and the National Guard armory that provided showers and ice. The other riders were shuttled to the state line in Cuba and launched from there. Our ride was 88 miles!

On the second day we rode from Selma to Montgomery; a shorter but “hillier” ride. Our destination this time was Montgomery FUMC where we were met by our friend, Nathan Atwood, who hooked us up with a great lunch and more importantly, an afternoon mission. That afternoon, we helped load a horse trailer full of supplies heading to Cordova. This included bottled water, diapers, food, mattresses, and other furniture items. I believe the mattresses were a bit sobering as we thought about families not having beds any longer…it made the Cycle of Service meaningful and purposeful. That night we were hosted by St. Mark UMC in Montgomery who provided dinner, breakfast, and a place to sleep!

Day three started bright and early. Our legs were cramped by now, our “seat” sore, and most of us sunburned despite the constant lathering of sunscreen. But it was going to be a fun filled day-our goal to reach the state line in Georgia would be achieved. We left St. Mark UMC and arrived at the Tuskegee parsonage in record time. The ARM board of directors and ARM Tuskegee staff greeted us with lots of great treats and ice cold drinks. Family members began to arrive to cheer on their riders and participate in the family portion of the ride. Soon we were off to Phenix City. The first part of our ride was a scenic county road that would have been perfect except for all the hills-it was a real challenge. Highway 80 was a smooth ride but busy with Sunday afternoon traffic. It seemed to go on forever! But finally, we reached the signs of Phenix City and the beginning of the end. As we raced toward the Chattahoochee River and the bridge the anticipation continued to arrive-and then there they were! The welcome party of Epworth UMC from Phenix City and our friends from St. Mark UMC of Columbus cheered, yelled, and clapped as we came through. Three hard days of cycling, an afternoon of serving, and many times of reflecting now completed-but in many cases just beginning.

Nine riders committed to sharing the love of Christ through home repair and other forms of service. The impact of making a difference in someone’s life one family at a time. And new friendships built! And the fundraising part-you helped us raise over $12,000 towards this effort which also includes tornado relief! We are so blessed and encouraged as more homes can be repaired and more families served in Christ’s name so that they can give glory to God through our small and humble deeds! Thank you again for all you continue to do to support and grow the ministry of ARM in our state!

Grace and peace-see you on the ride next year!

lisa

Launch from Livingston

Over the Edmund Pettus Bridge

Two Days Away!

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Jun 222011

If you have ever gone “horse back riding” for a considerable amount of time, then you know what we mean when we talk about getting used to the saddle. Bike riding long distances is all about stamina-but it’s also about getting used to sitting and peddling for hours at a time. It’s about your neck and shoulders always facing down…and that is what makes these moments grueling and rewarding at the same time.

As we get ready, it’s a few last minute details to bring this together. There are so many making this happen.

Southern Sportsman Lodge on Thursday night hosting us and dinner at Livingston UMC with Rev. Wilson Kendrick speaking. And Wilson is a support driver on Friday!

The folks in Selma at Memorial UMC feeding us and providing sleep space to the 621st BsSB National Guard unit providing showers

Montgomery FUMC is providing lunch on Saturday and our work project of tornado response. St. Mark UMC in Montgomery will feed us and provide sleep space.

Tuskegee UMC will be our reception area on Sunday and then Epworth UMC in Phenix and St. Mark UMC in Columbus are the final reception teams! Great stuff and many hands to help.

If you would like to sponsor a rider, please feel free-they have been training hard and have huge hearts!

See you somewhere on HW 80!

lisa

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