After biking more than 1,000 miles from Holland, Mich., to Dallas, Texas, 10 local cyclists raised almost $60,000 for local Lakeshore Pregnancy Centers.

Leading the “Ride 4 Life” cyclists, who left Holland on Aug. 28 and rode into Dallas on Wednesday, were Grand Valley State University communications graduate student Jason Craner and LPC Director Mark Congrove.

Craner, who is now the news director for 1260 The Pledge radio station, had been urging his listeners to donate to the cause on his programs and called in to the station three to four times a day during the ride to promote and raise awareness for the centers.

With offices in Holland, Allendale, Allegan and Grand Haven, the LPC provides care and information for anyone confronting a crisis or an unplanned pregnancy. The other cyclists who participated in the Ride 4 Life all had connections to the LPC, either as a patient, volunteer or employee.

Debby Congrove, Karen Cutshall, Carolyn Doyle, Betty Geurink, Sherry Hoppen, Cliff Lynema, Barb Meekof and Don Wickstra joined Craner and Congrove on the second-annual Ride 4 Life through the LPC.

Despite training for several weeks before the ride, Craner and his fellow cyclists were physically drained after the 11-day ride. They used a very small portion of the fundraising money to stay in low-rate Super 8 Motels along the way while eating and drinking minimally and getting six hours of sleep per night. For Craner, however, completing the ride was more than enough to make up for minor discomforts on the way.

“Two things really drove me to do this ride: the sense of adventure and being part of something much bigger than me,” he said. “Just knowing that between the 10 of us we raised nearly $60,000 — to make that difference — it’s outrageous.”

The money that Craner and his fellow cyclists raised will help pay for ultrasounds and pregnancy crises materials. Congrove reflected Craner’s sense of purpose and meaning with the Ride 4 Life when discussing the benefits of the LPC before the riders departed from Holland.

“Each and every day, women all across Michigan fall victim to the pressure of abortion when it is presented as the only viable solution to the crisis surrounding an unplanned pregnancy,” he said. “In this decision, not only is a life lost, but a woman’s life is changed forever. Lakeshore Pregnancy Center seeks to offer hope and assistance, supporting one woman at a time with information about her pregnancy options.”

Craner and his fellow riders were encouraged by the completion of their ride and had a bold message for others who might contemplate participating in the Ride 4 Life trip next year to Orlando, Fla.

“My message to anyone interested in this would be to get up and just do something,” he said. “Look what we just accomplished-knowing that we’ve made a difference is just amazing.”

For more information on the 2011 Ride 4 Life, or to see the photos from this year’s trip, go to the LPC Web site at http://www.lpcenters.com/theride.

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