Like Son like Father...

Ok, I guess one could argue who started the biking thing, but my dad's definitely taken it to the next level. This summer my dad will be biking 3300 miles (Take that Paula! ;) ) across the country from San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA to raise money for the Fuller Center for Housing. Below is the letter he's sent out to his friends and collegues in an attempt to raise the $4,000 required for him to participate.

Dear friends,

I need help! (Mary says that all the time – now I believe her.)
Most of you know that I do a lot of bicycling. You may not know that for some time I’ve had this itch to bike across the country. Well I got my wish.

Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, has started The Fuller Center for Housing, with basically the same mission of eradicating poverty housing worldwide. For details see: http://www.fullercenter.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AboutFAQ.

Mary and I support both organizations, but the big difference between them is this: only the Fuller Center is raising funds via a cross-country bicycle trip! About a dozen 18-27 year-olds (and moi – hey, I told you I need help!) will be biking from San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA from June 14 to August 8. We will also spend 6 days building houses at various sites along the way. I have committed (no – not been committed) to raising $4,000 – half for Michigan and half for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (where $2,500 will build an entire house).
This is where you come. A penny a mile would be $33.00, but any amount will be greatly appreciated. I’ll need a few significantly larger donations (or a lot of new friends!) to make my goal of $4,000.

Please send a tax-deductible donation payable to Fuller Center Bike Trip (put my name in the memo) to:

Fuller Center for Housing
PO Box 523
Americus, GA 31709-0523

Or you can donate on line at www.fullercenter.org/bikedonations If you do this, be sure to donate “in honor of Tony Campbell” (so I get credit) by checking the box at the bottom of the donation page



THANK YOU, for whatever you can do to help. It would take thousands of Fuller Centers and Habitat for Humanities to meet the need. If you are not able to help financially, please pray for the safety of the riders and the success of the ride.

In partnership,
Tony Campbell

PS The trip is paid for by registration fees and an anonymous donor. All funds raised go toward housing for those in need.

PPS If you have more time on your hands than you know what to do with, click here:
www.habitat.org/rv/contact_info.aspx.

I myself will be donating a penny a mile. I know we're all strapped for cash these days, but anything you can do to help would be put to extremely good use! And, as my pop says, if you can't send money, please keep him and his riding companions in your thoughts this summer so that he (and his shiney new bike) gets home in one piece!

I can't put into words how proud I am of my dad, not only for all the hard work he's put in to prepare for this ride, but also for the work that he (and my mom.. Hi Mom!) does every day. They're a couple of retirees with nothing else to do but travel all over the country at their whim, but they continue to give back by not only building houses for Habitat but also leading Habitat builds as members of the Care-a-Vanners, and volunteering for the Red Cross. God bless them both!

So, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll have birthday pictures up this weekend.