On August 8, a team of 32 college students from across the country will arrive in Davis, CA on bicycle. Not an unusual sight for such a bike-friendly town. However, these cyclists are traveling with Bike and Build, a non-profit that organizes cross-country bicycle trips which benefit affordable housing groups. Each team member raised $4,000 on their own to participate in this trip.

The South Carolina team left Charlotte, SC on May 23 and is quickly approaching the Sacramento area on bicycle. Their trip has taken them through from coast to coast, through 13 states, stopping in Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Oregon to build homes for families in need. The trip of 4,143 miles officially ends in Santa Cruz on Thursday, August 11.

One member of the team is Ramon Martinez from Fresno County, now a student at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, Ramon entered Sacramento State University on a scholarship. As a student, he volunteered with Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services and eventually managed the Food Assistance program. This is where I met Ramon and volunteered alongside him bagging groceries and serving the community. Ramon later decided to volunteer for a year of service through the AmeriCorps NCCC program. After finishing his commitment to AmeriCorps, he transferred to Viterbo. While he is a student, he is also volunteering in various programs. He completed two major service trips this year to Louisiana and South Dakota.

Ramon is majoring in Sociology with minors in Spanish and Latin American studies. He is deeply committed to service groups and non-profit organizations. His goal for the next summer is to study abroad.

Please consider joining me to celebrate Ramon’s accomplishments of building and biking across the US on August 8 at 6pm for a barbeque and celebration at the United Methodist Church in Davis, CA. You can meet many other Bike and Build participants, including Sacramento native Sarah Spezia, and hear their stories about what it’s like to bicycle across the country, making stops along the way to help others.

United Methodist Church
1620 Anderson Road
Davis, CA 95616