Tag: sea-tri-kan

One unavoidable difference between my ride and the journey of a refugee is that I’m sure I’m going to get home. But I’m not certain I’m going to complete the whole ride. When a refugee leaves home, they have no guarantee they will make it.

One of the many reasons I love cycling is that it forces you to observe your surroundings carefully. You learn to look farther ahead for dangers and obstacles, keep a mental map of what’s behind you and use the sense of feel to guide you through changing terrain and windy conditions.

What strikes most people who begin volunteering with refugees, certainly what struck me, is how joyful they tend to be. As a group, refugees are optimistic, affable and prone to invite you to large gatherings where they give you food and treat you as an honored guest.

The nature of endurance bike rides entails constant movement. The key is to get up early, settle into a comfortable pace quickly, and keep moving

World Relief Seattle is fundraising and recruiting cyclists to participate in its annual bike ride across the state to collect money for refugees settling in Washington. The bike ride, called SEA TRI KAN (STK), begins on June 20 and continues through the 24th.

The event is raising funds for refugees in Washington, in celebration of World Refugee Day on June 20. The Matching Grant Program is specifically designed to help employ refugees, with the goal of allowing them to be self-sufficient in 6 months. It’s incredibly effective too, with a 97 percent success rate.