Putting a cross-country brake on poverty

Social justice news
June 2003

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Putting a cross-country brake on poverty
Twenty cyclists took off from San Francisco on June 1st and will ride until they reach Washington, D.C. on August 1st. As part of the Brake the Cycle of Poverty bike tour, organized by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the group will visit 37 dioceses in 12 states with programs to raise awareness of poverty in America.

At age 72, Lyle Langlois is the oldest member of the group, but you won't find this grandfather of 10 golf-carting around a retirement village. He's run a marathon in all 50 states and biked cross-country four times.

He explains his reason for going on this trip, "I was born into poverty in Kansas in 1930 and through the help of many others was blessed in many, many ways. To give back is so very essential to break the poverty cycle."

The cyclist range in age from 19 to 72, come from all over the country and from a wide range of occupations. Mary Wright, CCHD Education Coordinator and Brake the Cycle of Poverty Bike Tour organizer, said, "We are proud of the diversity represented in our core group of riders. Although we are a mix of ages and occupations, we share one thing in common—our passion for our mission of educating people about solutions to poverty and injustice in America."

The riders will stay with host families and parishes or camp along the route through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The Web site lists the route and schedule of events so that local people can participate in poverty awareness programs and support the riders.

Rob Marco, a 23-year-old rider from Philadelphia, reflected on his first day in an online journal: "St. James parish in Davis, CA is our family for the day. . . . Our hosts have been like family, very welcoming and supportive to total strangers. It is the gospel in full effect, the Christian way . . . God, help us to remember to welcome those forgotten, stepped on, left to the coldness of the streets. Help us to slow down our busy lives so we can make room for those 'nothing' moments you love to meet us in."—Tara Dix

For more:
Poverty USA
Photo of the riders:
Route and schedule

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