Spring Break
CSU grads cycle cross-country to raise funds, awareness for Invisible Children [VIDEO]
CSU graduates forgo job hunt to take a bike ride across USA
Erin Smith
Issue date: 5/11/09 Section: News
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"You're biking across America this summer." Period. What would you do, if one your college friends text-messaged something similar to you?
Kristen DeMint, a senior graduating with a degree in restaurant and resort management, said 'okay' to her friend Mark Kowalik, another senior graduating this spring, when he invited her on a cross-country bike trip via text message last November.
They will be riding their bicycles together this summer from the month of May, just following graduation ceremonies, until August in an effort to raise funds for the Invisible Children Foundation, a non-profit created in response to a 22-year-long civil war in Northern Uganda.
From Oregon to Virginia, for each of the grueling, 4,262 miles on the road, they will be seeking sponsorship of $3, to total into $10,000 in donations to the "Schools For Schools" program, which is a project aimed at bringing 10 Ugandan schools decimated by the war to a nationally competitive standard.
Through their campaign, "Buy a Mile, Teach a Child," they have collected donations through their Web site, www.biking4invisiblechildren.com, since early this semester.
From the first time he saw the Invisible Children documentary, Kowalik said he has wanted to do something to help.
"I knew I wanted to take this bike trip, and I knew I wasn't able to financially help the Invisible Children Organization on my own," he said.
The Invisible Children Organization has a variety of campaigns needing support and Schools For Schools emerged as the obvious choice as they were finalizing the details of their fundraising journey.
"Looking back at how privileged we are to have an education and parents to support us in that, we decided the best area to donate to would give kids the opportunity to succeed, to emerge as future leaders and give them the tools to be successful," Kowalik said.
"For as long as I've been on board, this is a cause we decided we'd be interested in contributing to," DeMint said in agreement.
A bike-trip worthy bond
Rather than jump directly into the job market in uncertain economic times, both DeMint and Kowalik, who graduates with a degree in natural resources and recreation tourism, have decided to forgo the job hunt to embark on an adventure and raise money for a good cause.
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