For
Immediate
Release




























































Contact:
Jessica
Alzate




DATE
:
7/29/2009


































































(800)
334‐7626,
ext.
6311



Cross
Country
Bishop’s
Bike
Ride
Raises
Awareness
about
Malaria

The
Rt.
Rev.
Mark
Hollingsworth,
Bishop
of
the
Diocese
of
Ohio,
and
seven
dedicated

cyclists
set
off
on
a
mission
to
utilize
their
passion
for
cycling
as
a
tool
to
achieve

three
goals−
raise
money
for
Episcopal
Relief
&
Development’s
program

partnership,
NetsforLife®”,
raise
awareness
of
the
Episcopal
Church’s
ministry
and

add
new
contributors
to
Episcopal
Relief
&
Development.

In
2006,
Bishop
Hollingsworth
organized
the
first
Bishop's
Bike
Ride−
a
245‐mile

ride
home
to
Cleveland
from
the
General
Convention
in
Columbus,
Ohio.

This
year,

he
set
his
goal
higher
and
organized
the
12‐day
cross
country
trip
to
fight
malaria

which
began
at
the
close
of
the
Episcopal
Church’s
76th
General
Convention
on
July

17
in
Anaheim,
California.

On
Tuesday,
July
28th,
they
reached
the
Episcopal
Church
Center
in
New
York
City

after
crossing
through
thirteen
states.
The
team
was
welcomed
outside
by
a
cheerful

crowd
of
colleagues
and
family.

“You
have
raised
and
roused
awareness
for
Episcopal
Relief
and
Development
and

NetsforLife®,"
said
Presiding
Bishop
Katharine
Jefferts
Schori
during
the
reception

at
the
Catalyst
Café
and
Books
at
the
Church
Center.
"Thank
you,
thank
you,
thank

you."
She
also
gracefully
offered
prayers
of
Thanksgiving
for
their
safe
travels
and

for
the
ability
to
serve
in
so
many
different
ways
so
that
others
may
be
encouraged

and
enlightened
to
participate
in
service.

The
cyclists
shared
countless
stories
of
their
adventures
speeding
across
the

country
on
their
ride
to
end
malaria.
They
faced
some
obstacles−
from
unbearable

heat
in
the
west
to
rain
and
thunder
in
the
east
to
a
minor
car
accident
in

Pennsylvania,
luckily
there
were
no
injuries.

In
spite
of
these
challenges,
they

remained
grateful.
They
are
thankful
for
the
endless
love
and
support
they
received

from
the
strangers
on
the
road,
Episcopalians
who
opened
their
homes
and
the

dioceses
who
fed
them
along
the
way.

Bishop
Hollingsworth
and
the
seven
fellow
cyclists
completed
the
ambitious
journey

alternating
riding
as
they
passed
through
Episcopal
dioceses.
The
team
included:
the

Rev.
Kelly
O'Connell,
rector
of
St.
Mark's,
Toledo,
and
route
planner;
the
Rev.

Stephen
Sedgwick,
rector
of
the
Church
of
the
Redeemer,
Lorain;
the
Rev.
Daniel
Orr,

priest‐in‐charge
of
St.
Paul’s,
Fremont;
Carl
Petterson,
from
Christ
Church,
Hudson,

and
recent
high
school
graduate;
Michael
Obel‐Omia,
former
head
of
the
Upper

School
of
the
University
School
in
Cleveland
and
parishioner
at
St.
Paul’s,
Cleveland

Heights;
Isaac
Hollingsworth,
the
bishop’s
son
and
high
school
sophomore
at
St.

Paul’s
School
in
Concord,
New
Hampshire
and
Greg
Daniels,
an
IBM
consultant
from

Christ
Church,
Hudson
said
who
wrote
on
his
recent
blog,
“I
am
very
glad
to
have

been
a
part
of
this
life
saving
fundraisng
event.
Thank
you
for
all
your
support
and

interest.
I
am
already
looking
forward
to
our
next
adventure.”

The
Rev.
Gary
Mitchener,
a
retired
priest
of
the
Diocese
of
Ohio,
Erin
Kirby,
an

Episcopal
Relief
&
Development
Seminarian
Coordinator
and
Martha
Gardner,
an

Episcopal
Relief
&
Development
Diocesan
Coordinator
and
Deputy
from
the
Diocese

of
Newark
provided
them
with
constant
encouragement
and
helped
drive
the

support
vehicles.

Rob
Radtke,
President
of
the
Episcopal
Relief
&
Development
said,
“We
are
deeply

grateful
for
Bishop
Hollingsworth
and
the
team
of
cyclists
for
raising
awareness

about
malaria
prevention
in
our
Church.
It
is
a
remarkable
demonstration
of

Episcopalians
working
together
towards
a
common
goal.”

The
proceeds
from
the
Bishop’s
Bike
Ride
will
be
designated
for
Episcopal
Relief
&

Development’s
program
partnership
NetsforLife®,
which
provides
insecticide‐
treated
nets
in
17
countries
across
sub‐Saharan
Africa
to
prevent
malaria,
one
of
the

biggest
killers
among
children
under
five.

To
date,
the
Bishop’s
Bike
Ride
has
brought
in
$35,218
in
contributions
and
pledges

towards
NetsforLife®.
“The
funds
that
the
Bishop’s
Bike
Ride
has
raised
so
far
will

get
3,000
nets
into
homes
of
the
families
in
remote
villages
in
Africa
where
those

nets
will
protect
up
to
9,000
young
lives
from
malaria.
NetsforLife®
appreciates
all

those
that
have
made
this
life
saving
contribution
possible,”
said
Shaun
Walsh,

Executive
Director,
NetsforLife®.

To
make
a
contribution
in
support
of
the
ride,
please
donate
online
to
“Bishop’s
Bike

Ride”
or
call
1‐800‐334‐7626,
ext.
5129.
Gifts
can
also
be
mailed
to
“Bishop’s
Bike

Ride”
Episcopal
Relief
&
Development,
PO
Box
7058,
Merrifield,
VA
22116‐7058.

To
view
a
recap
video
of
the
ride
go
to:

Episcopal
Life
Online:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/index.htm


To
read
more
stories
go
to:

Episcopal
Life
Online:


http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_112928_ENG_HTM.htm

Examiner.com:
http://www.examiner.com/x‐16866‐Columbus‐Faith‐‐Culture‐
Examiner~y2009m7d29‐Lance‐Armstrong‐and‐a‐bishop‐on‐a‐bicycle

To
read
the
team’s
personal
blogs
go
to:

http://ohionets4life.ning.com











































































































































Bishop
Hollingsworth:
ohiobishop.blogspot.com

The
Rev.
Kelly
O'Connell:
travelswithclementine.blogspot.com

Michael
Obel‐Omia:
publiusrex.wordpress.com


Greg
Daniels:
biketrip4erd.blogspot.com

Carl
Petterson:
carlbikeride.blogspot.com




















To
view
their
map,
click
below:




























































































































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msa=0&msid=116379344375437994955.00046e256c1ac3b3e6174


Episcopal
Relief
&
Development
is
the
international
relief
and
development
agency

of
the
Episcopal
Church
of
the
United
States.
As
an
independent
501(c)
(3)

organization,
Episcopal
Relief
&
Development
takes
its
mandate
from
Jesus’
words

found
in
Matthew
25.
Its
programs
work
towards
achieving
the
Millennium

Development
Goals.
Together
with
the
worldwide
Church
and
ecumenical
partners,

Episcopal
Relief
&
Development
strengthens
communities
today
to
meet

tomorrow’s
challenges.
We
rebuild
after
disasters
and
empower
people
by
offering

lasting
solutions
that
fight
poverty,
hunger
and
disease,
including
HIV/AIDS
and

malaria.