Ride for Reading

Judi LoPresti of Northside's Spun Bicycle and Libby Hunter of Word Play started the Ride for Reading five years ago. Ms. LoPresti and Ms. Hunter began the ride in reaction to the news that Cincinnati is fourth in the nation for childhood poverty. I love the teamwork involved in this. For Ms. Hunter getting books into the hands of elementary school children for their homes dovetails with her work at Word Play. And given Ms. LoPresti's involvement in the cycling community what better way to deliver books than by bike?
I had been wanting to be involved with this ride for the last couple years so this year I just took a vacation day to ride with everyone. I'm betting we cranked an actual ton of books, 3600 books for 360 kids, from Coffee Emporium downtown to Fredrick Douglas Elementary in Walnut Hills. Sure it was fun seeing friends, grinding up Gilbert and all the camaraderie that goes along with it. What I wasn't expecting is what waited for us at Fredrick Douglas Elementary. The kids were all waiting in the parking lot and cheering as we rolled in. We unloaded the books and they all made a dash for the books. I was just standing there grinning at it all when I felt something bump into me. I looked down and a young girl was giving me a hug so I reached down and squeezed her back.
I can't even tell you the emotions running through my head at that point. My mind raced back a couple years when I rode around Oyler Elementary School in Lower Price Hill.
Have you ever seen it?
Its beautiful.
Ornamental.
On either side on the entrance is a statue, one a young boy and one a young girl, each reading a book. Looking at them I felt this intense sadness that in a neighborhood of abject poverty, there are kids who may have never seen a person read a book until they saw those statues.
Helping to deliver those books and seeing how excited these kids were to have a book of their own made me feel pretty awesome.
So thank you Judi and Libby for organizing this ride for five years and giving me, and everyone else, the opportunity to be involved.


Ms. LoPresti and Ms. Hunter receiving a proclamation from the city. How awesome is that?








Guys, next weekend Friday to Sunday has 14 events happening! Find a ride that suits you and get on that bike!
The calendar is here.
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