Happy New Year of Centuries! Thank you for joining me on this adventure. Today is the first official day of my yearlong project. I am really looking forward to my first century, which will be on January 12.
As we begin A Year of Centuries, here is an overview of all of the charities that I will be riding for:
January – Face to Face, a program of the Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV) that provides free dental care and facial plastic surgery to victims of domestic abuse. Although the causes aren’t the same, these women and I have suffered similar injuries. I am extremely thankful to be doing so well, and I really want to help Face to Face patients feel better, too.
February – MATHCOUNTS, a nationwide program that promotes interest and excellence in mathematics among middle school students. MATHCOUNTS provides fun and challenging math team coaching materials to every public and private middle school at no cost to them. Participants often go on to careers in math, science, and engineering. Math team was always my favorite extracurricular activity. I myself was a “mathlete” as an 8th grader in 1983-84, the first year that MATHCOUNTS existed. After MATHCOUNTS, I continued on to my high school’s junior varsity and varsity math teams. Lo and behold, years later when I joined the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), I discovered that it is a founding sponsor of MATHCOUNTS and hosts the chapter and state competitions. For the past 15 years I have volunteered as the Middle Georgia chapter coordinator and a coach. This year’s chapter competition will be on February 23, 2013 at Mercer University.
March – Bicycles for Humanity (B4H), an organization that provides bicycles for transportation in developing countries. I really wanted to include a bicycle charity in A Year of Centuries, and thanks to a tweet from cycling announcer Paul Sherwen, I learned about Bicycles for Humanity. Local chapters of B4H, like the one in Atlanta, gather unwanted yet still usable bicycles in the United States and ship them to people in other countries that can really use them. Being able to get water, go to school, or visit the doctor via bicycle rather than walking makes a huge improvement in the quality of life of B4H recipients. Additionally, each 40-foot shipping container of bicycles and parts, called a “Bicycling Empowerment Center,” becomes the seed for a local bike shop, providing local jobs and economic development. Not to mention, all these bicycles get new life rather than being dumped into a landfill.
April – Southeastern Greyhound Adoption (SEGA), a volunteer group that finds homes for retired racing greyhounds. My husband Robert and I have had at least one greyhound for the past 17½ years, and we just love them. They are the best companions. SEGA is run entirely by volunteers, who transport the dogs from the racetrack; make sure they get shots, are spayed/neutered, and receive any other needed medical and dental care prior to adoption; care for adoptables at our kennel and in foster homes; and promote adoption through meet & greets. Many of us also do pet therapy with our own greyhounds at nursing homes, children’s hospitals, etc. We all hope and work for the day when there are enough homes for all greyhounds.
May – BRAG Dream Team, a group of middle school students from low-income families across Georgia who are given the opportunity to participate in the annual Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG). The Dream Team receives bicycles, helmets, shorts, and other accessories, and mentors lead them on the weeklong ride in June. These students are able to set and reach a terrific goal and to see parts of our state that they might not otherwise get to experience. Robert and I did BRAG several times in the mid 1990s, which played a large role in cycling becoming such an important part of our lives. I hope that the BRAG Dream Team enjoys this year’s ride just as much.
June – ML&J Fund for Children and Youth, an outreach ministry of my church, Monticello Presbyterian Church. ML&J provides back-to-school needs in July and August and works with the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) each Christmas to supply clothes, toys, and gifts. Jasper County has a high rate of poverty, and the ML&J fund provides for some of our neediest residents. ML&J is named in honor of Mary Lou and Jimmy Jordan, but as Mary Lou says, it also stands for Mercy, Love & Joy.
July – Bat Conservation International (BCI), dedicated to conserving the world’s bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet. Bats are essential to the balance of nature and human economies, pollinating plants and helping control insect populations that feed on such plants as coffee, pecans, fruit, and cotton. However, bats face threats like loss of habitat, indiscriminate killing, and the devastating White-nose Syndrome. BCI funds bat research, conservation, and education. I first became aware of bats about 15 years ago when I read a fascinating article by BCI founder Merlin Tuttle in National Geographic. I was so captivated that I told a friend, who introduced me to BCI. I’ve been a member ever since, learning about these important yet misunderstood creatures. One of the most magical experiences of my life was in July 2011, when Robert and I visited Bracken Cave, located between Austin and San Antonio, Texas. Bracken Cave is the summer home of the largest known colony of bats in the world, 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats. Seeing that majestic group of bats emerge for the evening was something I’ll never forget.
August – American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which has the one goal of improving the lives of animals. Founded in 1866, the ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws, and share resources with shelters nationwide. “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi
September – Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, an organization that provides free books for parents to read to their children. Books are delivered to any child in Georgia once a month from birth through five years old; that’s 60 books! As an avid reader myself, I am very happy to work with the Ferst Foundation to promote reading as a life skill and life joy in children. Coincidentally, ever since the year 2000, I have set (and met) an annual goal of reading at least one book a month. Maybe the children who receive books from the Ferst Foundation will continue their book-a-month practice.
October – Jasper County Community Food Bank (JCCFB), a volunteer organization to overcome hunger in Jasper County, Georgia. Each week JCCFB feeds over 250 families and individuals through the local distribution center. As of June 2012, 43.5% of Jasper County residents have utilized the food bank. Through its partnership with the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, JCCFB can leverage each dollar donated to buy about five times as much food as you or I can at the regular grocery store.
November – Middle Georgia Down Syndrome Society, a group to support families with members who have Down Syndrome. Funds are needed to provide educational materials for parents and to help defray expensive medical costs that Down Syndrome children often face. Two of my cycling friends have children with Down Syndrome, and I’d like to support them and other families like them on their journey.
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