Cycle of hope

Cyclists participating in the annual Texas 4000 came through Florence on July 3, staying overnight at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church before continuing on to Anchorage, Alaska. Three groups of 24 young men and women students from University of Texas at Austin are riding from Austin, Texas, for the cause of finding A CURE FOR CANCER, with routes through the Sierras, West Coast and mountain ranges. All the riders have been affected by cancer through friends and family. The West group, which stayed in Florence, was escorted through town by Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and welcomed by parishoners at St. Andrew’s, who provided the riders with a real Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. Church members also invited riders to their homes for laundry service and a good night’s sleep. Many nights on the ride are spent camping out, so going to a home was a real luxury. (photos courtesy of Terri Pennington)

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