After Mother Nature dropped one of her fickle rainy weather spells on us on the 14th of October, our 2nd Annual Ride for Resilience launched one week later under sunny skies that decorated the colorful fall foliage with brilliant shades of orange, red, brown, and yellow.
This year's ride featured its founder, and New Hampshire Children's Trust Board Member Mark Knights, the Trust's Executive Director, Cliff Simmonds, Penny Vaine from Healthy Starts at HCS, and her friend, Rainna Baker, pedaling 100 miles to raise awareness of the work done throughout the network of Family Resource Centers (FRCs) that focuses on the family protective factors that ensure kids are raised in safe, stable, and nurturing environments.
This year's journey began at the Healthy Starts Family Resource Center in Keene. The participants then headed east, making stops at the River Center in Peterborough and the Upper Room in Derry. The end point was Vernon Family Farms in Newfields, where everyone celebrated with food and music.
Total ride time (including breaks where the riders stopped and toured the FRCs and met with area residents) was nine hours and 35 minutes!
“We know that when parents and caregivers have what they need,” said the Trust's Cliff Simmonds before the ride, “children and families are strong. And when New Hampshire families are strong, incidences of child abuse and neglect plummet.”
The route for the ride changes every year, as the goal is to raise awareness about all the magnificent work being done throughout the state's network of FRCs.
What's our plan for next year?
To head north, and highlight the work being done at the FRCs that serve the areas of Colebrook, Littleton, Gorham, and Berlin!
Interested in learning how YOU can become a rider and help us raise money to support the state's FRCs? Send your inquiries to communications@nhchildrenstrust.org!
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