BRAN MAN RIDES IN 30th CONSECUTIVE ROTARY CLUB OF OMAHA NORTHWEST BICYCLE RIDE ACROSS NEBRASKA (BRAN 30)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Vickie Backman

Rotary Club of Omaha Northwest

(402) 397-9785

 

OMAHA, Neb. (May 21,2010)

 

For Al Roeder of Omaha, the 30th annual Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska (BRAN 30) “Space Cowboy Tour” is more than just another bike ride - it’s an annual tradition. This year’s ride marks the 30th time Roeder has made the journey across the state to benefit Nebraska education.

It also marks the 24th ride Al and daughter Shannon have shared together as a father-daughter team aboard a tandem bicycle. Al Roeder is a retired school teacher affectionately named the “BRAN MAN” and is the only person to have participated in every ride since its inception in 1981. Shannon Roeder also teaches in Omaha.

When asked why he rides in BRAN, Roeder said, “It’s a combination of things: the scenery, the exercise,the challenge, the host communities, and the ultimate benefit of helping create scholarships for Nebraska kids. It’s also the quality time I get to spend with my daughter and the friends we’ve made through the years.”

Roeder added that Shannon joined him on the ride when she turned 9 and they’ve been riding together ever since. BRAN remains and will continue to be a big part of their lives. “I intend to participate in BRAN until I’m physically unable to complete the ride. Maybe we’ll be talking about my 60th ride thirty years from now,” added Roeder.

BRAN 30, “Space Cowboy Tour” is a community service project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Omaha Northwest with assistance from the Omaha Pedalers Bicycle Club. For 30 years, proceeds from BRAN riders have provided scholarships to high school graduates who wish to attend Nebraska colleges. The ride begins June 6 in Harrison and ends June 12 at the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Ashland, the home of astronaut Clayton Anderson. The ride will cover 481 miles in seven days.

BRAN 30, “Space Cowboy Tour” routes cyclists through the unique beauty of the Nebraska Sandhills region. Proceeds from the ride are used to fund $28,000 annually in scholarships for Nebraska high school graduates to attend post-secondary schools in Nebraska. Since its inception in 1981, BRAN has awarded more than $347,000 in scholarships to students. Host communities for BRAN 30 are Harrision, Alliance, Hyannis, Thedford, Burwell, Albion and David City. The “Best Host Community,” as selected by the riders, will receive a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded to a student from that community. BRAN requests that broadcast media offering traffic reports advise listeners of increased bicycle traffic in hosting communities along the route. Information regarding BRAN 30 is available by visiting www.bran-inc.org or by contacting Vickie Backman at (402) 397-9785, or via e-mail at brantour@radiks.net.

About Rotary Club of Omaha Northwest

Vetran riders know of the Rotary Club of Omaha Northwest’s founding of BRAN. What most riders don’t know is the scope of the activities Rotary Club of Omaha Northwest sponsors to help make our community a better place to live and work. From recycling Christmas trees to recognizing employers who hire people with disabilities to supporting literacy to providing food on holidays for 911 personnel to helping place trail markers on the Keystone Trail, Northwest Rotarians exemplify the motto, “Service above Self.” As part of Rotary International, the club serves to foster goodwill among all people of the world and is leading the march to eradicate polio from our planet. Business leaders and professionals in the Omaha area are invited to inquire about joining the club at the Rotary Club of Omaha Northwest headquarters, located at 4205 N. 101st Street, Omaha, Neb. (402) 397-9785. The club meets at noon on Tuesdays at Champions Run in Northwest Omaha. For more information, visit www.omahanwrotary.org.

BRAN statistics:  

Rider age range is 9 to 80 years and older; 55 percent of riders are 50 years and older; 7 percent of riders are 19 years and younger; 74 percent of riders are 40 years and older and 33 percent of riders are first-year riders, 16 percent are 60 years or older.

A list of current BRAN scholarships and scholarship awards is available upon request.

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