Good Move Bishop

We already know Jeremiah Bishop is a winner. The elite world class cross country mountain biker from Harrisonburg, Virginia, a former Pan American Games Gold Medalist and last year's NORBA National champ, has been racking up podium placements for the last seven years.

But recently he used one of his victories to help a worthy cause. Last weekend Bishop won North Carolina's Showdown at Sugar Mountain National Mountain Bike Series event. Instead of throwing himself a party he donated his prize money to World Bicycle Relief, an organization dedicated to helping others find independence and livelihood through the power of bicycles. Bishop's donation will go toward the organization's latest project, which involves providing 26,000 bicycles to trained HIV/AIDS healthcare workers and educators in Zambia, Africa. The objective is to bring healthcare to patients, patients to clinics, and preventative care education to communities. This project will require two-years and $2,969,000.

“Donating my prize money is a way I can share the benefits that I’ve enjoyed from a lifetime of riding bicycles,” Bishop said. “I believe the bicycle is a practical answer to many of our world’s problems, and this is demonstrated by the success of World Bicycle Relief projects.”

Bishop also threw out a challenge to the rest of us. To the first person to match his donation of $380 (Man, mountain bikers make a killing don't they?), he will give his number plate and an autographed jersey.

To join Bishop in support of World Bicycle Relief, visit www.worldbicyclerelief.org.

-J.F.