SPONSORED BY ROTARY CLUBS,  BIKER IS ON A MISSION

My name is Lyn Kenney (formerly a past president of the Concord Rotary Club in Calif. and presently an AG in District 7750, South Carolina). Our Rotary Club was approached by a young man returning from the Peace Corps in Africa who needed sponsorship to ride a bike across the US for World Hunger. We did the initial funding, including a bike and a trailer with a large Rotary Wheel on it. Drew left Key West, Fl on April 1 and will be arriving in Seattle for one week this Friday 8/14. He hopes to end his trip in San Francisco on Sept. 22. Since he will be coming through your areas, I thought you might put out some information on him. His web site and blog are very interesting (along with many pictures of the trip). It has been Rotary Clubs along the way who have often housed and fed him. He has spoken at numerous Rotary Clubs (he is a very good speaker) and everyone has loved him. There has been a lot of media coverage for Rotary. I will send a separate e-mail with the article and picture for your newsletter. If you have questions, please contact me.

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Drew Marinelli, a former Peace Corp volunteer in Africa, hopped on a bike April 1 in Key West, Florida to ride 6,000 miles across the country to increase awareness and raise funds for the fight against global hunger. After working for two years in Niger, West Africa, and watching young children die from malnutrition, he wanted to share his story.

The 26 year old, 6’9” South Carolina native doesn’t exactly have the ideal frame of a cyclist. Enduring high winds, inclement weather, and a three-day ride over the Rockies made the biking difficult. He rode more than 130 miles in a single day to reach Denver, his longest stretch thus far. Despite the challenges, Marinelli has remained upbeat. “Every Challenge I’ve faced has been succeeded by an opportunity or a person to get me through it,” he said. “I’ve made it this far and I’m sure I’ll make it the rest of the way. I’ll Dumpster dive if I have to.”

Drew has been sponsored initially by Rotary Clubs near his home in South Carolina. Since then, he has met people who have led him to sponsorships from CLIF bars and MDI Media Group. Lyn Kenney, AG for District 7750 and Aiken Rotarian Bob McClure have been contacting Rotary Clubs in advance on his route to ensure that he is invited to Rotary meetings and has an opportunity to speak on World Hunger. The support from Rotary Clubs across the country and the media attention this has received has been amazing. Drew is an outstanding speaker and is passionate about his cause.

Drew reached Missoula, MT on August 6 and is headed through northern Idaho then down the coast of Washington, Oregon and ending in San Francisco around the middle of September. All the sponsors are hoping there will be a warm Rotary welcome for the remainder of Drew’s trip. To learn more about Drew, view photos and to donate to his cause, visit his Web site at : www.onemanonebikeonefight.com.    You can also read his blog describing all his adventures and wonderful Rotary experiences at: BLOG.ONEMANONEBIKEONEFIGHT.COM

If you are part of a Rotary Club along the reminder of his route and wish to help out or have him speak to your club, please contact either Lyn Kenney at (c)925-518-4444 (lynkenney@aol.com) or Bob McClure at (c)803 979-2794 (bobmcclure@whitecedarway.com)