Tuesday, April 24, 2012

I want to ride my BICYCLE!!

Exciting news-the bike that I will be riding across the country this summer has arrived! A GIANT sized box with a GIANT brand bicycle inside. Pretty perfect, right? Can't wait to open it up, get it assembled, and start riding!


I wonder what's inside?? :) 
























Also, fundraising is going well for my ride. I've raised over $1,700 already. I'm so impressed by everyone's generosity. You guys are AMAZING! If you're considering donating to my Bike & Build adventure (the money will be distributed as grants to housing-related organizations around the country), be sure to check out my rider page

Friday, April 6, 2012

Bike & Build: The Ultimate Adventure

It doesn’t feel real yet, but in less than ten weeks, I’ll be graduating from UC Davis with a degree in urban planning (and a minor in Latin)! At school, my studies have focused on better understanding the connection between people and the built environment. Over the years, I’ve worked for the City of Davis’ Transportation Planning Department, the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington DC, a landscape architecture firm in Sacramento, and volunteered in Honduras as a construction worker.

I am so excited to start this next chapter of my life and begin working to strengthen communities through well-planned architecture and infrastructure. Before officially joining the working world, I’ve planned one final hurrah—the ultimate adventure that combines my passions for traveling, bicycling, architecture and helping others. This summer, I will be biking across the country to raise money and awareness for affordable housing with the nonprofit Bike & Build. Over two and a half months, I will be biking 3,757 miles from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Vancouver, British Columbia. On days that I am not biking, I will be volunteering with local Habitat for Humanity chapters and helping with construction on affordable housing projects. To put it simply, I am beyond excited and cannot wait!

In order to participate in Bike & Build, each cyclist must raise $4,500. The proceeds from the trip will be used as grants to fund affordable housing projects around the country. During our travels, riders will be able to make donations to various non-profits and housing authorities. I am writing to ask that you support me and Bike & Build by making a tax-deductible donation. I know that your donation and the contributions from others will have a serious impact on improving the housing landscape across the country. Already, I am well into my fundraising efforts!

As part of my commitment to Bike & Build, I am spending my final quarter preparing for the trip. I’m taking a class on housing policy to better understand issues of housing inequality in our country. I am reaching out my family, friends and the Davis community for financial and moral support for my trip. I’m also contributing my own work paychecks this quarter to help fund my trip. And of course, I’m training like crazy to get in shape for the trip of a lifetime!

I encourage you to look at Bike & Build's website for more information. To donate to my cause, please check out my personal page, and of course keep checking this blog to keep in touch during my journey.

Enjoy the ride,
Debs


Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe study abroad program.
(Copenhagen, Denmark 7/2010) (photo credit: Peter Hess)


Bike + backpack full of food= grocery shopping in style!
(Davis, CA 3/2012) (Photo credit: Sam Halstead)