For the Press
GRASSROUTES CARAVAN MADTOWN 2 MOTOWN
THE VILLAGE OF RESILIENCE ARRIVES TO MOTOWN
Media Contact: Kristine Pettersen
tel. 608 316 5822
Website: www.grassroutescaravan.org
Sunday, June 20th, the Grassroutes Caravan: Madtown 2 Motown Bike Ride, 23 adult riders and three children, arrive to their destination at the corner of Temple and Woodward in Detroit. They will stay at the tent city set up for the US Social Forum at this location for the duration of the social forum, June 22nd-26th.
The Madtown 2 Motown ride has been in the works for over a year as local organizers planned the route, found community service projects to support along the way, recruited riders, and raised funds. "Caravans like this one, which organize a large group of diverse people around consensus decision-making and volunteerism, require dedication, passion and lots of advance planning," according to Abby Davidson a member of the Elements Collective, the organizing committee for the ride.
"The main idea of the Social Forum, which started as an annual get-together of world communities and organizations in Brazil, is that 'another world is possible,'" remarked eager caravanista Seth Jensen. "We take those ideas very seriously. When you consider all the volunteer stops we have planned, the cultural exchange,the opportunities for relationship building, then we're really talking about much more than a bicycle ride. I like to call it a mobile village." And as with any village the hearth is central to success so the Grassroutes Caravan is working with the Skills Tour (www.permibus.org) to provide food and medical support along the way as well as trainings in the communities the caravan is visiting.
This is the second ride organized by the Grassroutes Caravan. "The incredible success of the last Grassroutes Caravan made us want to do this again," proclaims Kristine Pettersen, who devoted a year of her life to organizing a two-week bicycle ride from Madison, Wisconsin to St. Paul, Minnesota for the RNC in 2008. “Over 40 people came together for that ride and it was such a beautiful community building experience we are excited to offer this opportunity to others.” And so far 30 people are taking advantage of the opportunity with over 20 people biking the entire route and participating in 7 community events along the way.
Learn More:
Madtown2Motown Grassroutes Caravan: http://www.grassroutescaravan.org/
Local media coverage from Grand Rapids Michigan: http://griid.org/2010/06/15/grassrootes-caravan-creates-community-on-its...