As a way to raise awareness of a new bicycling and walking path in Ada, several East Central University entities have come together to sponsor the ECU Bike and Hike at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4, beginning at the Bill S. Cole University Center.
A new bike trail was recently built, leading from the ECU campus to Wintersmith Park in Ada. Those participating in the Bike and Hike, will ride their bicycles or walk from the University Center to Wintersmith Park for refreshments and a short program.
The event is being held to raise awareness about the new path as well as encourage the City of Ada to build more bicycling and walking trails. Sponsoring the Bike and Hike are ECU’s chapter of the Alpha Chi National Society in conjunction with Rotaract, ECU’s Political and Legal Studies Department and Dr. Christine Pappas’ U.S. Government classes.
Pappas had the idea for the event in which Alpha Chi will be making a donation to the World Bicycle Relief. Sponsors from the different clubs will also be collecting money to donate.
“A major part of Rotary International’s mission is to eradicate polio worldwide by providing vaccines to children in all parts of the world,” said ECU senior Linzi Thompson, president of Rotaract and a native of Sulphur. “In remote regions (including some of the final places needing vaccination), the only way to deliver these lifesaving serums are by foot and bike. The Rotarians and other organizations who deliver these vaccines must carry the vials for miles each day through heat, rains and other hostile environments. I think this Bike and Hike event will be a great way to honor this strenuous effort, as well as to highlight how many countries can’t depend on cars for transportation. That form of transport is often reserved for the rich while the less wealthy must walk and bike to work, school and the store.”
To learn more about the relief effort, please join the Bike and Hike event on Sept. 4 or visit https://worldbicyclerelief.org/en/ .