Community Powered Bicycles: 100 Miles Through the Capital Region

On September 18, riders rolled out from S&W Sports for the 6th Annual Ride for Resilience, a 100-mile tour of New Hampshire's Capital Region. Along the way, they stopped at Goffstown Network Food Pantry and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Dimitri's Pizza, and White Birch Center, then finished at a celebration hosted by Smokeshow BBQ and Feathered Friend Brewing. Every stop was a chance to recognize the people and places that help families across the Granite State thrive.

The Ride began with Mark Knights, a father, mentor, and NH Children's Trust Board member who works as a partner at Nixon Peabody. Mark founded the Ride and volunteers his time to support family-serving agencies with child abuse and neglect proceedings. Six years in, his idea has grown into an annual rite of fall, and we are proud to be connected to his vision.

The Ride also reflects how NH Children's Trust works. As the state's lead family strengthening and child abuse prevention agency, we focus on the systems and partnerships that make strong families possible. The Ride lets us celebrate that network in the open: the organizations along the route, the riders who carried the message, and the donors who backed them.

Those donors made a real difference. Riders and fundraisers like Sonya Misiaszek, Jack Hastings, Sean Skabo, Joe Fox, Josh Buonpane, and Erica Lehner, built personal fundraising pages and invited their circles to take part. Virtual Riders Laura Hagley, Craig Vettori, and our

virtual walker, Kat Challis, joined from their own road, mountain, gravel bikes, proving you do not need to be on the route to be part of the ride. We also had two teams ride virtually helmed by our very own board members, Chris Tappan of the "Harmony Riders" and Rebecca Lozman-Oxman leading the "Peds on Pedals" team. NHCT Board Secretary Karen Kersting, Exectuive Director of UpReach, also joined us at the Goffstown Network Food Pantry to welcome and cheer on riders.

Our sponsors helped make the day possible. Nixon Peabody served as the Community Sponsor. Back Bay Network served as a Family Sponsor. Our Friend Sponsors were Beth Isreal Lahey Health: Exeter Hospital, Alera Group, Mascoma Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, Neighbor Sponsors, Supporters, and Shirtmasters rounded out a group that showed up for New Hampshire's children and families.

Everyone plays a role in preventing child abuse and neglect, and the Ride is one of the ways our community shows it. Thank you to every rider, volunteer, donor, sponsor, and partner organization who helped us shine a light on the strength of New Hampshire's network of family support.

To donate to the Ride for Resilience click here: pledgereg.com/ride-for-resilience

Learn more about NH Children's Trust at nhchildrenstrust.org