Pedaling against poverty

A priest-led group of bicyclists traveling 5,000 miles to focus attention on poverty in the United States expected a mid-June arrival in Missoula.

Jesuit Father Matthew Ruhl of Kansas City, Mo., and 11 other bicyclists began their journey, called Cycling for Change, on Memorial Day in Cape Flattery, Wash. They expect to reach Key West, Fla., on Labor Day, Sept. 6. As they travel, the bicyclists and their support team spread the message that by 2020, the country must achieve a 50 percent reduction in the number of people living below the poverty level.

“There is so much need for help in reducing poverty,” said Father Ruhl, who began planning the trip more than two years ago and recruited bicyclists from across the country. “We thought this was a way to draw attention to the cause and try to make a difference.”

The bicyclists and support group expected to be in Missoula on June 17, and said they would visit the Poverello Center and other places that assist people living in poverty.

For information about the ride and events along the route, go to the website www.cyclingforchange.org . The group’s progress also may be tracked on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CyclingforChange.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 6, June 18, 2010.