SeatoSea Benefit Concert May 11

Thanks to many student performers we had a very great musical evening - solos, violin, piano, small band, Kalamazoo Junior Symphony woodwind quintet, harp, trumpet to name several. Also thanks to Third CRC, several hosts, sound people, janitor, and deacon. These people all shared their God given talents and made for a successful evening to help "slay the giant" of poverty. Plus, we had great refreshments and fellowship afterward. Most performers are in the attached photo. We have received many positive comments about music and SeatoSea, and one potential lead for another sponsor. The funds raised amounted to about $1,400 and several took donation forms home. Wish all of you could have been there.

Training had to take a break while all this went on. Tonight I just had to go to the Maple Valley Track meet so we could visit Mooville for ice cream! That is a good idea for a significant training ride - about 100 miles round trip. Anyone up to join me?

Pledge Goal Update; Benefit Concerts

Gratefully we can acknowledge that SeatoSea reports $11,100 received towards our $30,000 pledge so far; for all cyclist combined around $450,000 has been contribured to date toward a $1.5 million goal. In about six weeks the tour starts. Pray God blesses all the people and efforts in progress for toward "ending the cycle of poverty".

Final preparations are underway for the benefit concert hosted by Third CRC with Kalamazoo Christian students and friends as musicians on Sunday May 12 at 8 pm. Thank you!

Our first tshirt sale to a distant purchaser just happened - that was like selling some to the "President", totally unexpected! Thanks Dave.

Join us for a benefit concert June 13 at 7pm at Lighthouse Community Church,4321 11th Street, Kalamazoo, MI(just south of Parkview on 11th Street in Oshtemo Township). Wow - a friend from work goes there and spearheaded that. Thanks to Dan and his church.

Twin Lakes Reformed has a week long day camp June 16 to 20, and wrap up in worship on the 22nd - they are designating SeatoSea for their fund raising cause. I get to work (my last week before my leave to go on the tour) but Sherry, Eric, Mark and Joel are volunteer helpers and John is a camper. SeatoSea wrist bands will be an incentive to the campers and they will provide a ongoing message toward "ending the cycle of poverty".

Oh, we do try to bike and run to get in shape, time permitting. Some cyclist wizzed by me going up the 6th Street hill - maybe in September I will be able to do that too! Sorry, no pictures of that are available.

Check out the links - new soon will be a Blessing poem submitted by cyclist Hans and a concert announcement.

Fund raising status update

Today at SeatoSea they posted reciepts adding up to $6,068 toward our goal of $30,000. For all riders they show $325,000 as received to date. Thanks organizations and individuals providing support for the poverty reduction. God is blessing fund raising efforts.

SeatoSea says the media roll out should come in a few weeks, with warmer weather.

BENEFIT CONCERT: May 11 at 8 pm, Third CRC on Winchell in Kalamzoo, put on by high school students. Hope you and your friends can join us. Thanks Third and student performers!

SUMMER DAY CAMP: Sounds like we will be participating in Twin Lake's day camp on Jun 16 to 22, and may be stated as their fund raising cause. Mark has been a counselor several times. Maybe Eric can this year will help with recreation. Joel may be a junior couselor, John a day camper, and Sherry a helper. The camp theme is Growing Good Fruit! Pray God blesses their planning, those taking on leadership and support roles; and Dawn especially with the challenges she has and as camp director. Thanks Twin Lakes!

We have our street bikes now and some accessories. We hope the weather allows us to get out on them more and more for conditioning.

Spring Training Begins

We have not done much biking this week, rather bike shopping and fund raising. Trying to schedule some concert fund raising events.

So, today we need to get in some miles since we are all together for Easter weekend :) :) :)

Tee shirts and wrist bands

Mark, Larry and Sherry printed tee shirts at school this evening, a little over 100, to raise funds to meet our pledge.

Also, we bought 100 wrist bands from Sea to Sea to resale.

$10 for tee shirts and $4 for wrist bands, plus shipping, if you would like one. Order them by email to us at lstehouwer1@juno.com.

Donations to Sea to Sea are coming in. A sincere thank you to those contribution. Positive contacts continue. Hoping to be invited to some more churches or organizations to speak.

Support encouragement

We are working on fund raising. Tee shirt printing is resuming Friday.

Some positive feed back (for example: T says "We'll be glad to help out with this very worthy trip. I'll approve this and ... get it to you. I am sure you will have many stories when you get back, I'll need to come down and listen to some of them. Have a great trip !!").

Larry got two rides in, 22 miles Tuesday with wind and 17 miles Wednesday with hills.

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Took my fourth conditioning ride. For a challenge I took the hills on F, 6th by Alamo, Winding Way, and old Douglas. Felt good trying to learn to spin at a steady rate. About 12 deer crossed. Spring is in the air. About 30F.

Mark spoke at 2nd CRC AM, offering pm. Many positive contacts.

Looking to get tee shirts we purchased printed (about 100) and get braclets from headquarters.

Good news - chamber and school doing articles.

"Cycling to reduce the cycle of poverty"