Eric Shadle began a cross-country bike ride July 8 to help raise awareness of the need for diapers all across America. Beginning from the Adventist church in Richland, Wash., where he is the pastor, Shadle has been riding a route mapped through 10 states, with plans to arrive in Silver Spring, Md., on Sept. 5.
The send-off ceremony included Richland's mayor making a tribute to Adventists, a group of roller-derby girls breaking through a wall of stacked diaper boxes, and the motorcycle group Bikers Against Child Abuse showing their support by leading Shadle on his way.
At scheduled stops along the way, Shadle is speaking at community centers, churches and other locations about the lack of diapers for low-income families. His ultimate goal is to raise $250,000 to purchase 1 million diapers for organizations across the country involved in this effort, including the Tri-Cities Diaper Bank operated by local Adventist churches. Shadle is having ongoing conversations with people in towns across America through churches and hospitals as well as service clubs like Rotary and Kiwanis.
Shadle has blogged daily, shot video weekly and spoken at any venue where people would like to know more about this need and what diapers have to do with church.
You can follow Shadle's ride online at ride4diapers.org, which updates his progress every few minutes.
Eric Shadle waves to a cheering crowd on his way out of the Richland Church parking lot as he begins his ride across America. (Patty Marsh)
A prayer for Eric Shadle was part of a send-off ceremony as he began a cross-country bike ride to raise awareness of low-income families' need for diapers. (Patty Marsh)
