A Good News Cycling Story

bikes

As more and more ‘leaks’ start to spill out in the lead up to Oprah’s interview with fallen hero Lance Armstrong, people are becoming increasingly cynical about cycling. And while I can’t see it happening, there’s even the suggestion that cycling could be removed from the Olympic Games for a while.

Thankfully, cycling as a sport, as a pass-time, mode of transport, recreation or whatever else it is to the millions worldwide who take part in two wheeled transportation in some way, does not revolve around Lance or the other professional cyclists who have doped.

Yes, they’ve cast a shadow over cycling but it’s bigger than that and there will always be good news stories about cycling.

From the feeling of freedom a child experiences on their first bike, through to the rush enjoyed by dedicated racing cyclists who build their performance on hard work and sweat, there’s a magical quality to the humble bicycle. Cycling is great for health and for our planet. It can be enjoyed alone or be incredibly social. Bicycles are also an essential tool in building income for many around the world.

I also wonder how many millions of dollars have been raised for great causes over the years by people who have pushed pedals.

Bikes are constantly being used as a means of highlighting a cause and raising sponsorship. I’ve used bikes to raise money for at least half a dozen causes, including riding many thousands of kilometres for literacy projects in developing countries through Bike for Bibles.

In less than a month I’m saddling up again for a good cause.

I’m hoping you’ll support me and help me save some lives through Compassion.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do what I can to help. That’s why from the 10th to the 12th of February I’ll once again be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

I’ll be riding 290 kilometres and battling some serious hills over three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount. My overall target is $2500 so I have a long way to go.

Please help me save some lives. Please make your donation, large or small, and then share this post in as many ways as you can so that more people will get on board and more lives will be saved.

No matter what Lance, or any other cyclist may or may not have done, cycling is still a good news story.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading A Good News Cycling Story? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Can you give me a push?

I need a push. A really big push.

Well maybe not me as much as my fundraising for the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge for Compassion. I’m well down on my target and I need anyone who cares about releasing children from poverty to give what they can to boost the total. Will you please be one of those who helps?

Here’s a video that was created at the end of last year’s event which will give you an understanding of what it’s all about.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do what I can to help. That’s why from the 10th to the 12th of February I’ll once again be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

I’ll be riding 290 kilometres and battling some serious hills over three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount. My overall target is $2500 so I have a long way to go.

Please help me save some lives. Please make your donation, large or small, and then share this post in as many ways as you can so that more people will get on board and more lives will be saved. Somewhere in this world is a child who is waiting for you to step up and become a hero by giving them a hand up.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Can you give me a push?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

A Super Fast Start to 2012

Can we slow things down a little? I don’t know about you but I reckon this year has started way too fast. My head is spinning with all that’s going on. So much is happening and in less than two weeks I’ll be cycling the Great Ocean Road in Victoria to release children from poverty.

If you want to find out more about my big adventure just watch the video below. In it I tell the story of escaping Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, as rioting escalated and smoke from burning barricades filled the air.

Haiti is just one country where Compassion is working. All over the world, often in difficult circumstances, Compassion is working to release children from poverty. They can only do their job if we’re prepared to get involved.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why from the 12th to the 14th of February I’ll be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.

The other thing I’d ask you to do is to spread the video as far and as wide as you can so that it make the biggest impact in releasing children from poverty. Please put it on your blog, share it on Facebook, use the sharing buttons below and do whatever else you can do to help raise much needed funding to support the work of Compassion.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading A Super Fast Start to 2012? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Have we forgotten Haiti?

It’s a story we seem to have let slip into history. Just before 5:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday the 12th of January 2010, two years ago today, a a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit just outside Port-au-Prince, the capital of the impoverished nation of Haiti. Within the first fortnight after that event, at least 52 major aftershocks had been recorded.

The quake killed around 220 000, injured more than 300 000 and affected 3.5 million people. Even before the quake, 86% of people in Port au Prince were living in slum conditions. Compassion was there and continues to work with the people of Haiti.

While we heard story after story about the tragedy in the weeks immediately following the earthquake, the plight of the Haitian people has already faded from our TV screens and newspapers. The rebuilding isn’t even close to being finished but we’ve already moved on.

Compassion International has been working in Haiti for over forty years so they were one of the first aid agencies to begin helping the people of the affected area. They’re committed to the people of Haiti and they’ll continue to help them in the years and even decades that it will take to return life to what we might consider normal.

Just ten days after the quake I spoke to Tim Glenn from Compassion live from Haiti. You can hear that radio interview by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

Over the past couple of months I’ve been looking back at my visit to Haiti and Dominican Republic with Compassion Australia in April 2008. That visit is the main reason I’m passionate about taking park in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge. Next month I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.

The ride isn’t specifically raising money for Haiti but I know that whatever is raised will go to those who need it most right now. Please consider how much you can afford to give.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR220110_0949.mp3]

Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Have we forgotten Haiti?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Ada Broke My Heart

SantoDomingo.jpgNext month I’ll be cycling to release children from poverty. Today I want to share part of the reason why I’m taking on that challenge.

I’ve interviewed dozens of famous singers, authors, personalities, politicians and celebrities over the years but if I had the chance to choose one moment from my radio career so far that stands high above the others it is the opportunity to tell Ada’s story. I’ll tell you more about that story in a few moments.

Over the past couple of months I’ve been looking back at my visit to Haiti and Dominican Republic with Compassion Australia in April 2008. That visit is the main reason I’m passionate about taking park in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge. Next month I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount.

Ada’s Story

As I mentioned before, telling Ada’s story was a real highlight for me. The story of this young girl will break your heart then give you renewed hope in the difference that each one of us can make in the lives of others.

I beg you to take just fourteen minutes to listen to Ada’s story. I know that for many, setting aside fourteen minutes is too much to ask. If you’re one of the few who takes the time, I guarantee it’ll be worth it.

If you want to hear something to lift your spirits just click play on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

The whole story is worth hearing but I’ll warn you now that it will really start to touch your heart around half way through.

Ada is a girl I met and interviewed in Dominican Republic. She was a beautiful twelve year old with a bright future. I wish I could show you the picture I had taken with the two of us but I prefer to keep her identity somewhat private. You’ll understand why as you listen.

I talked to Ada, I visited her home and talked to her parents. I’m sure that all of us that visited her home on that day will remember the warm hug she gave each one of us as we left. She is a remarkable young girl.

I managed to track down her sponsor in Australia and shared Ada’s story with her. Lisa’s reaction to hearing her sponsored child’s voice is priceless. Hearing Lisa describe how she feels when she hears just how much of an impact she has had on Ada’s life is inspiring.

I don’t know what else I can say but to again beg that you take the time to hear this amazing story. If you do take the time, please let me know.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Ada Broke My Heart? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.