VERO BEACH — Rev. Scott W. Alexander, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, will embark on a demanding month-long, 3,300 mile, 115 mile-a-day bike ride across America to beat hunger on Sunday April 22 from Costa Mesa, Calif. The ride ends with a welcome home rally at Waldo’s inside the historic Driftwood Resort on Vero’s beach Tuesday May 22.
His goal is to raise $50,000 to be split evenly between the Harvest Food and Outreach Center of Vero Beach, which distributes low cost food locally to those in need, and Stop Hunger Now, an established international organization which packages millions of sample meal packets to be distributed around the world, primarily through school feeding programs in hunger-stricken regions of the world.
Alexander has chosen this long distance cross country touring route with the help of a fully supported bicycle touring company by the name of America by Bicycle. This means that Rev. Alexander will join a group of other cyclists, touring for pleasure or charity like himself, and cycle on scenic tested routes, receive daily written directions with maps, hotel stays, enjoy good quality meals daily, and have access to an experienced bicycle mechanic in their own rolling bike shop, daily water and snack stops, and luggage transportation from hotel to hotel.
“I am a veteran charity cyclist,” said Rev. Alexander, “having ridden across America with America by Bicycle in both 2003 and 2007 raising $20,000 for a favorite charity of mine…La Clinica Del Pueblo, a free health clinic for recent Latino immigrants in the Washington, D.C., area.”
“I love riding across this vast and beautiful nation of ours on behalf of a cause I believe in…combating hunger both here on the Treasure Coast and around the world,” Rev. Alexander said.
“The Old Town City” of Cottonwood, Ariz., will be day four of Alexander’s schedule of stops, after having 464 cumulative miles under his belt. With a current population of 5,900 and located in Yavapai County between Prescott and Sedona, Cottonwood is named for the beautiful Cottonwood trees that grow along the Verde River, and one time in the early 1900s, Cottonwood was known to have the best bootlegging booze within hundreds of miles, attracting citizens from Los Angeles, Phoenix as well as closer-to-home folks.
From Cottonwood, after winding his way through New Mexico and Texas, and accumulating 1,510 miles over fourteen days, Rev. Alexander will roll into Chickasha, Okla., for an overnight.
Actor and comedian Cleavon Little, and 15,999 others, called Chickasha, a city and the county seat of Grady County, Okla., home. Named for, and strongly connected to, Native American heritage, Chickasha hosts an annual Festival of Lights during the holidays, The Spring Triad hosted by the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and the Muscle Car Ranch Swap Meet and Concert in August.
When arriving in Brinkley, Ark., on Day 19, with just under 2,000 miles achieved, Rev. Alexander will find himself almost exactly half-way between Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn. With less than 4,000 people, this small city has played an important part in transportation with the construction of the rail lines between Little Rock and Memphis. From its ties to the transportation industry, the City of Brinkley continues to maintain a position at the center of major transportation arteries. How serendipitous that Rev. Alexander’s transportation will take him his final 1,300 miles/12 more days through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and finally to Florida.
Interested in becoming a day sponsor for $500 and helping the cause? Visit www.TheRidetoBeatHunger.org for more information and sponsorship opportunities. Members of the Treasure Coast community who want to partner with Rev. Alexander in the project can also donate per mile to help him reach his $50,000 goal.
All donations and sponsorships can be made out to Indian River Community Foundation for “The Ride to Beat Hunger” and can be sent to P.O. Box 650126, Vero Beach, FL 32965.
Looking to get involved? Call Rev. Alexander (772) 494-5009 or toll free (855) 494-5009 or visit www.TheRidetoBeatHunger.org.