• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Human Interest / Bike riders try to raise awareness of depression and suicide

Bike riders try to raise awareness of depression and suicide

October 6, 2017 By Matt Kelley

Five people are riding bicycles cross-country from Oregon to Washington D.C. and they’re pedaling along Iowa’s western border this weekend — the halfway point in their three-month journey.

Dyar Bentz, the program director for the Light the Trail Ride, says they’re raising money and awareness about an important cause.

“It’s sort of a half-outreach and half-fundraiser program called the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation,” Bentz says. “This is a group that is dedicated to depression research and suicide prevention.” The organization is based in Fort Worth, Texas. It’s named for the late daughter of Tom Harris, who’s one of the cyclists on the long trek. Harris says his daughter suffered from depression and took her own life in 2012. He says the ride is all about starting conversations on the topic.

“When people see the sign on the side of our van or our truck, they’re always asking how we’re doing and why we’re doing it and what the background is,” Harris says. “It gives us an opportunity to share our story and generally, we get one back. Somebody in whoever’s family that’s either struggling with depression or even more unfortunately, somebody that may’ve lost someone to suicide.”

The nationwide adventure is taking the cyclists along the Lewis and Clark Trail and it’s posed a string of physical challenges. Harris says they’re doing well and managing to stick to their scheduled goals.

“For a couple of old guys, our frames and bodies are holding up pretty darn good,” he says. “We’ve experienced all kinds of weather. We’ve seen heavy winds, rain, snow. It’s been an interesting ride to say the least.”

They reached Sioux City on Thursday and plan to be in Missouri Valley by Saturday. The group left Oregon on September 3rd and hopes to arrive in Washington D.C. on Veterans Day, November 11th. So far, they’ve raised $175,000. Harris hopes to expand the foundation nationwide.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Human Interest, News

Featured Stories

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

Man convicted of two Muscatine County murders dies in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Key stretch begins for #9 Iowa

Drake’s Roman Penn lost for the season

Drake’s DeVries named to Naismith watch list

State wrestling opens with limited attendance

Iowa’s Wieskamp is B1G Player of the Week

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC