Photograph of Greg Krupa, ROMP field-research coordinator, courtesy of ROMP.
On Saturday, June 19, hundreds of community members, cyclists, and amputees from across the Pacific Northwest will join together in support of Range of Motion Project’s (ROMP) 3,500-mile bike trek to raise money and awareness for amputees living in the developing world. The Riding for Romp ride is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. in the Skinner Butte Park in Eugene, Oregon, and end in early September in Zacapa, Guatemala, where the non-profit foundation operates a full-time prosthetics clinic. Riding For Romp began in 2008 in Kansas City, Kansas as a community cycling event that not only raised thousands of dollars for ROMP’s clinic in Guatemala, but also served to promote health and wellness through cycling.
“We encourage cyclists of all experience levels to join us, whether it’s for the whole trip or just one day,” said Greg Krupa, ROMP field-research coordinator.
Founded in 2005 by prosthetists Eric Neufeld, CPO, and David Krupa, CP, ROMP is a volunteer-administered organization with a fully staffed clinic in Guatemala that treats hundreds of amputees annually. Recently featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Neufeld traveled to Haiti where he fit two young girls with prosthetic limbs made from 100-percent recycled materials.
ROMP volunteers Greg Krupa and Pat Mathay will lead this year’s team, which hopes to raise $50,000. The team is scheduled to stop in 18 cities stateside before entering Mexico. Along their journey, riders will host local events in the California cities of San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Los Alamos, Santa Barbara, and San Diego.
Riders are invited to participate in any part of the 3,500 mile trek, including the first day’s section of the ride, from Eugene to Florence, Oregon, or to gather at any of the stopping points, to sponsor rides, or to host community gatherings.
For more information, visit www.rompglobal.org. To follow the ride, visit the Riding for Romp 2010 blog.
