An enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers will gather and welcome eight cyclists, led by Bishop Mark Hollingsworth of Ohio, as they bike into NYC and complete “Riding for Their Lives,” their cross-country trek on Tuesday, July 28. Their final destination is the Episcopal Church Center, 815 Second Ave., NYC (at 43rd St.).

Hollingsworth and his team of seven cyclists are raising funds for Episcopal Relief & Development”s program partnership, NetsforLife®. They left Anaheim, California, at the conclusion of the Episcopal Church General Convention on Friday, July 17.

Media are invited to welcome the cyclists: great photo, feature opportunities

WHO: Episcopal Bishop Mark Hollingsworth and seven cyclists

WHAT: Completion of cross country trek to raise funds for NetsforLife®

WHEN: Tuesday, July 28 at noon Eastern

WHERE: Episcopal Church Center, 815 Second Ave. (at 43rd St.) NYC

Alternating the cycling during the 4000-mile trek to New York are team mates: the Rev. Kelly O'Connell, rector of St. Mark's, Toledo, and route planner; the Rev. Stephen Sedgwick, rector of the Church of the Redeemer, Lorain; the Rev. Daniel Orr, priest-in-charge of St. Paul”s, Fremont; Carl Petterson, from Christ Church, Hudson, and recent high school graduate; Greg Daniels, an IBM consultant from Christ Church, Hudson; Isaac Hollingsworth, the bishop”s son and high school sophomore at St. Paul”s School in Concord, New Hampshire; and Michael Obel-Omia, former head of the Upper School of the University School in Cleveland and parishioner at St. Paul”s, Cleveland Heights. Providing encouragement and helping drive the support vehicles are the Rev. Gary Mitchener, a retired priest of the Diocese of Ohio, Erin Kirby, an Episcopal Relief & Development Seminarian Coordinator and Martha Gardner, an Episcopal Relief & Development Diocesan Coordinator and Deputy from the Diocese of Newark.

Episcopal Relief & Development”s NetsforLife® program partnership provides insecticide-treated nets in 17 countries to prevent malaria which kills nearly 1 million people each year. To make a donation in support of the ride or to learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development and NetsforLife®, call (800) 334-7626 or visit www.er-d.org.

Follow the cyclists on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EpiscopalRelief

Bishop Hollingsworth: ohiobishop.blogspot.com
The Rev. Kelly O'Connell: travelswithclementine.blogspot.com
Michael Obel-Omia: publiusrex.wordpress.com
Greg Daniels: biketrip4erd.blogspot.com
Carl Petterson: carlbikeride.blogspot.com

The Episcopal Church, with 110 dioceses in 16 nations, is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

Episcopal Relief & Development: http://www.er-d.org/

Diocese of Ohio: http://www.dohio.org/joomla/index.php