Aspen Invitational: Ride with a Purpose

ASPEN, Colo., July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As many as 50 local cyclists including Boulder native and U.S. Cycling National Track Champion cyclist Cari Higgins will ride as far as 100k through the steep rolling hills of the Aspen Valley to help provide bicycles to those living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. It's part of the Aspen International World Vision Bike Ride for Africa taking place Friday, July 20th and Saturday, July 21st, 2012. The event begins in Paepcke Park in downtown Aspen. The first leg of the ride, starting Saturday, covers 25 miles (41k) of rolling hills in the Aspen Valley and climbs to catch the breathtaking views of the famous Maroon Bells mountain range.  Riders competing in the second leg of the 100k event route will climb 3,000 feet to finish back at Paepcke Park on Saturday.  Riders challenging themselves to the full 100k route will complete the route on the rolling hills of the Aspen Valley.

Recently, Cari Higgins came close to qualifying for the USA Cycling Team headed for the Summer Olympic Games in London. Higgins is well known in the local cycling community as a fierce international cycling competitor. Her motto: "I like going fast on bikes with no brakes." Each Aspen Invitational rider, including Higgins, has personally committed to raising a minimum of $5,000 to donate to the Bicycles for Africa project. The fundraising goal is $300,000. The international Christian charity World Vision is ensuring access to transportation by offering bike loans in Zambia as a component of its rural microfinance program. The group hopes to help improve the lives of tens of millions of the poor in Africa by giving them access to affordable transportation. World Vision will provide 3,000 bikes to those living in extreme poverty in Zambia.  

Tonight, almost 900,000 people worldwide will go to bed hungry. Almost 22,000 children die each day from hunger and preventable diseases. Chronic poverty, affecting half the people on earth, is the cause. Nearly 3 billion people live on less than $2 a day.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kathryn Compton - Major Donors – World Vision 253-219-2661 (mobile)

About World Vision – World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty.  World Vision serves the world's poor regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.  World Vision works in 100 countries, helping approximately 100 million people every year. For more information, visit www.worldvision.org.

Contact: John Yeager
World Vision
(425) 765-9845

SOURCE World Vision