There is a local non profit organization that I am very fond of, it is OnBikes. This organization was created and developed by some very special folks in the Tampa area and one of them happens to be my husband. In my efforts to support this amazing group I interviewed and wrote an article on a local supporter who raised over $3,000 for OnBikes by riding her bicycle across the country for the cause. I am very proud of the efforts of the OnBikes family and look forward to the annual Winter Wonder ride that is tomorrow at Curtis Hixon Park. Below is my article that was published in the Tampa Bay Times today.
OnBikes holiday effort inspires cross-country cycling trip
Jenine Morehouse celebrates after completing a 3,000-mile, 52-day, eight-state trek to raise money for OnBikes, a nonprofit that delivers bicycles to needy kids for the holidays.OnBikes officials and supporters gathered at Amalie Arena on Dec. 4 for its annual bike build. More than 700 volunteers gathered to help assemble 800 bicycles for distribution to area at-risk youth.
TAMPA — In 2014 when Jenine Morehouse came across a Facebook post for OnBikes, a local nonprofit organization looking for volunteers to help build bikes for kids, she had no idea it would take her on a cross country cycling ride that would change her forever.
“A few friends and I went to the 8 p.m.-midnight bike build shift in a small warehouse with the members of Onbikes,” Morehouse said. “The positive attitudes and energy of everyone there was so inspiring.”
From that initial interaction she knew she would love to give more to this organization, which holds its 6th annual Winter Wonder Ride fundraiser from 2-11 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 10) starting at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N Ashley Drive.
“Learning of Jenine’s ride cross-country to benefit the organization was extremely inspiring and really evoked a sense of pride amongst the members,” OnBikes co-founder Drew Weatherford wrote in an email. “This was a fellow community member that simply attended one of our previous events and saw the good work we were doing and became invigorated to help out as well.
“Jenine’s ride embodies the true purpose of the organization – to rally our community for a common cause.”
Morehouse, 56, had embraced cycling since 2012 and rode on a couple of shorter road trips with a group called Bubba’s Pampered Peddlers. So when she learned this group was planning a cross country ride in April of 2016 she knew it was a perfect fit. At the time, cycling cross country was on Morehouse’s bucket list and yet she wanted to make it bigger than herself.
That’s when she knew how she could contribute more to OnBikes.
She quickly began training and set up a Go Fund Me account to raise money for OnBikes. She set a goal of $3,000 for her ride.
The group set off from San Diego for a 3,000-mile, 52-day, eight-state trek. One thought drove Morehouse.
“Every kid deserves a bike.”
The cyclists rode through the southern half of the country: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama before arriving in Florida. She rode with around 20 other people ranging in age from 28 to 83.
The cyclists left camp at their own time each day and followed what was called a que card with directions to their next camp. They would ride around 60 miles a day which could take anywhere from 6-8 hours depending on the level of the cyclist and the route and weather conditions.
On her longest day she promoted riding 100 miles in one day if more people would donate to her Go Fund Me Account. The promotion worked as she gained more donations and remain motivated.
The third day proved the most challenging as the cyclists rode down a steep road from 4,000 feet to sea level — enduring rain, sleet and snow — in less than three hours.
“Day 3 was the worst day of the entire ride,” Morehouse said. “I thought I was going to die.
“There were days that you weren’t so motivated, but I kept thinking about the kids and that kept me going.”
She also survived a horrible crash that could have left her completely out of the journey, and endured Rheumatoid Arthritis during the ride. Her doctors diagnosed the condition a year earlier and gave her permission to ride after managing the autoimmune disorder.
With no phones, television, or radio on those long rides she only had the beautiful countryside and fellow riders to keep her motivated. “My favorite memories of this ride are the interactions with the fellow riders and the interactions with complete strangers on the side of the road that would come out and offer water, everyone was so supportive,” Morehouse said. “Mostly, the sense of accomplishment I gained from doing something bigger than myself will stay with me forever.”
If you’d like to donate to Jenine’s efforts go to gofundme.com and enter “It’s bigger than me.”
-Brooke Iarossi
