Alex Becker, a first-year seminarian at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, will ride from Green Bay to St. Louis in July as part of Biking for Babies. (Submitted photo)
This summer, two representatives of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be participating in Biking for Babies, a national bike ride that raises money and awareness for pregnancy resource centers.
Starting July 11, teams of riders, called “missionaries,” will be putting in more than 120 miles each day on four separate legs of the ride to reach St. Louis for the Celebration of Life on July 17. Kathryn DeLapp, a teacher at St. Robert School in Shorewood, and Alex Becker, a first-year seminarian at Saint Frances de Sales Seminary, will be part of the ride from Green Bay to St. Louis.
DeLapp said she made the choice to get involved with the ride at the invitation of a friend.
“Biking for Babies is able to form young people as missionaries to spread awareness about pregnancy resource centers and the dignity of human life as well as support many pregnancy resource centers around the nation financially,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of an organization that was so active in promoting a culture of life.”
DeLapp will volunteer as a support crew member for the team biking from Green Bay to St. Louis, which means that she is tasked with caring for the logistical needs of the athletes, making accommodations for food and overnight stays, and coordinating opportunities for the missionaries to share their message along the way.
Missionaries like Becker, meanwhile, have a lot of physical preparation, but also undertake spiritual preparation as well.
“To prepare, biking and fundraising are important parts, but prayer is prioritized,” said Becker. “The group understands that we cannot work in vain and all our strength comes from the one who gives it to us, God the Father. We have weekly scripture studies that keep us focused on Christ, who will give us the strength needed for the trip.”
To date, Biking for Babies has raised more than $800,000 in donations for life-affirming work, including $174,000 last year alone for 33 pregnancy resource centers. This year, the organization has an overall goal of $225,000.
To learn more about Biking for Babies and the pregnancy resource centers it supports, visit bikingforbabies.com. To support Becker’s fundraising goal, donors can visit bikingforbabies.com/missionary/alex-becker/, and to support DeLapp’s fundraising goal, donors can visit bit.ly/delappB4B. Donations can also be made by mailing a check to Biking for Babies, PO Box 644, St. Charles, MO 63302 (Pay to the Order of: Biking for Babies) with the name of either Becker or DeLapp in the memo line. All donations are tax-deductible.
