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| Riding For Smiles - Shows that Bikers Have
A Heart |
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| Minnesota
Couple Combines Their Love of Riding with Their Love of Children |
| To
Ride 8000 Miles in 30 Days to Raise Money for UNICEF |
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Dellwood, MN
– April, 2008
– Riding for Smiles is
one of those happy stories that occasionally breaks into the news and
helps explain to non-bikers why people on motorcycles smile and wave
when they meet each other on the road. Ken and Shannon Wilson of
Dellwood, Minnesota got passionate about motorcycles a few years ago
and realized this was something they each loved doing together. They
quickly found that their favorite rides were on some of the winding,
hilly roads of rural Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Because they are people who can’t hide their enthusiasm for
two-wheeled fun and because they are active members of a large church
in their area Ken became the ride captain of EBC Riders a 65 person
church riding group. Ken rides a Yamaha Stratoliner S and is a Star
Touring and Riding member of Twin Cities East Chapter 444. Shannon
rides her own Honda Goldwing / Lehman Trike conversion and is a member
of Lehman Pride. All of this eventually led Ken and Shannon to
consider an even bigger arena in which to spread the good news of
biking along with saving children in desperate need around the world.
Ken recalls, "During the Christmas season last year, we were talking
one night about how many children in the world never get to know the
joy of receiving even a small gift. A lot of them don’t even
know the simple pleasure of knowing they’ll have something to
eat when they wake up the next morning." These conversations alternated
with discussions planning a long motorcycle ride in the summer of 2008.
Eventually those two sets of conversations merged into a question: "Is
there some way we could help some of those kids at the same time
we’re doing a bike trip?" Ken took this question to the world
of the internet and started researching charitable organizations that
might enable the Wilsons to realize their goal of riding to help
children. His search led him to choose UNICEF, the United States fund,
as the group that had all the qualities he was looking for:
· A long history of providing food, medicine and shelter to
some of the world’s most needful people
· An infrastructure that allows them to reach into more than
150 countries
· An established reputation for transcending ethnic,
religious and political issues and simply helping people
· Efficiency that allows them to provide a measles
vaccination for only $1.00 per child, basic school supplies for only
$2.50 per student, or for just $10.00 one carton of biscuits that can
support three malnourished children for a month
This process finally produced a plan that would put Ken and Shannon on
the road with their bikes for a month or more and at the same time
raise money to feed hungry children. The name they chose, Riding For
Smiles, www.ridingforsmiles.com reveals
the Wilson’s desire
to do something good for people and at the same time enjoy a trip
through a large part of the beautiful country we call home. The route
they chose for the ride was from Minnesota to Seattle traveling only on
secondary or blue highways in order to experience the real America. Ken
is no novice at this as Rider Magazine published Ken’s ride
in the February 2008 issue. It was called Utah Motorcycle Diaries.
Starting
July 25, 2008 Ken and Shannon plan to ride 8000 miles in 30
days taking along an entire array of video equipment including helmet
cams that will allow them to produce high end video blogs of the ride
and people they meet each day. These video blogs can be seen on their
website. A satellite link and a detailed riding itinerary on their
website also allows riders to find them on the road, www.ridingforsmiles.com
and to
ride with them for a day. Ken and
Shannon feel very strongly about helping save children from dying. They
think children deserve to live with dignity no matter what the
circumstances and that UNICEF can best make this happen. Ken and
Shannon invite you to come along for the ride by watching the daily
video
blogs or find them on the road using their website www.ridingforsmiles.com.
Anyone who wants to help Ken and Shannon help children in desperate
need in over 150 countries can go to www.ridingforsmiles.com
and
get all the details about their trip, which will begin July 25, 2008.
Yamaha Star Touring and Riding Association as well as Rider Magazine
and Lehman Trikes are getting behind this great cause in a national
effort. Riders can also organize their own ride and raise money for
UNICEF, details and information are available at www.ridingforsmiles.com.
There is
a secure link to the UNICEF
website where anyone can make a contribution that will help children
around the world. 100% of your donation goes to UNICEF.
For more information contact: Ken Wilson – ridesmiles@netalliance.net
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A
special thanks to
Rider
Magazine
for helping make
this happen. |
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| Save
A Child |
|
| $1.00
Buys |
| Protects
a child from
measles for life. Measles is lethally infectious. It is still
responsible for 750,000 child deaths annually. |
| $1.20
Buys |
| You
can immunize a mother
and her newborns against maternal and neonatal tetanus, which is
completely preventable but claims the lives of about 30,000 mothers and
200,000 newborns each year. |
| $2.50
Buys |
| You
can provide one child
with basic school supplies such as pencils, books, chalk, slate board
and paper. |
| $10.00
Buys |
| You
can provide one carton
of biscuits to support and rehabilitate three severely malnourished
children for one month. |
|
