Bike and Builders make stop in Moberly

Many just finishing college and grad school, about 250 young people from across the nation decided it was time to give back before real life hits and joined the Bike and Build project.

Thirty-one of those civic-minded persons rolled in to Moberly Sunday for the night. The congregation of First Christian Church put on a large feed for them, helped get them into laundry facilities before closing time and provided the church as sleeping quarters.

Members of the group came from places as varied as Northern California, Atlanta, Massachusetts and New York City. A few were even from Providence, Rhode Island, their starting point.

This is the eighth year for the Bike and Build project. The youth, ages 18-25 raise $4,000 to support themselves on their trek from Rhode Island to San Francisco and to help in the construction of low-income housing. After each raises $1,000, Giant, a bicycle company, donates riding bikes so each will have a safe, quality machine.

Kristie said they have spent little of their own money on food because groups, predominantly churches, have taken them in and generously fed them and provided them with provisions for the next day.

Kristie Gerhart, one of the four leaders with this particular group, said this was her second time on the cross country trip which takes 72 days to complete. They expect to make their destination by August 21.

When asked why they would give up their summer for the grueling bike ride and tough construction work she said, “We call it the Trifectant of Awesomeness – Great adventures, great service and great people.”

The group had been in Hannibal Saturday, were headed to Richmond Monday to ultimately spend two days building in Lawrence, Kan.

“We get so much done with 31 of us,” said Heather from Massachusetts, “it will be interesting to see what gets done n two days.”