Making a Difference from the Seat of Your Bike
On May 2, more than 20 of our church’s young people spent a busy day riding bikes to raise money for the Pathfinder program. They got up early on a Sunday morning 
so they could leave church by 6 am and head out on the road to join up with hundreds of other young people from around Northern California for a day of bike riding, great food, and fellowship.
According to Melanie Valdez, a 12-year-old from our church who attended her first bike-a-thon this year, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet kids from other Pathfinder clubs. She rode 13 laps on her bike, despite the unseasonably hot day.
Young people from our church not only spent their time riding their bikes and earning sponsor donations for every lap they completed, many of them also volunteered to work at the club’s food booth, where they raised additional money. Nearly a dozen adult volunteers from our church helped prepare the gourmet vegetarian dishes available at the food booth, including wontons and fried rice. The adults also made it possible for the young people to travel more than two hours (each way) in order to attend the bike-a-thon, an annual event for all Pathfinder clubs in Northern California.
Our church’s Pathfinder club serves young people ages ten through their late teens, providing opportunities to explore nature, reach out to others through community service, grow in their faith, and be prepared for leadership roles in the future.
The 2009-2010 club year will be winding up in May with the annual “investiture” ceremony at church on May 22. However, individuals who are interested in getting involved in Pathfinders for the 2010-2011 school year will have the opportunity to sign up over the summer. According to club leader Marge Schwartz, “Pathfinders is all about having fun with other Christians while doing things that honor God.”
