Life Church proudly supports “Tour de Cause,” a bicycle tour of Fairfield County covered bridges to benefit the Recovery Center. All proceeds from this event are distributed to drug addiction and awareness programs. The goal of this event is to eliminate the harmful effects of heroin and opiate addiction in our community:
- According to the Ohio Department of Health, drug overdoses claimed 1,458 lives in 2008. This exceeded automobile deaths and was the number one cause of accidental death in Ohio. Heroin use among adolescents and young adults starts with the abuse of prescription opiates like Oxycontin and Vicodin. The 2008 Fairfield County Youth Survey reveals that 23% of all 12th graders had used someone else’s prescription drug at some point in their life and that 7% of seniors had used illegal prescription drugs within the past month.
- Nationally, more teens say that prescription drugs are easier to buy than beer (19% vs. 15%).
- Between 2002 and 2008 there was a 775% increase in the number of persons seeking treatment for heroin and opiate addiction in Fairfield County.
- The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office estimates that 52% of all 2008 jail days were accounted for by heroin and opiate addicts. The cumulative cost of these days to the taxpayers of Fairfield County was $2.5 Million.
Last year, the Tour de Cause raised over $40,000 for the Recovery Center. The Tour de Cause offers five possible bike rides past Fairfield County’s covered bridges.
- Family Fun Ride (12 miles)
- Tourister Ride (20 miles)
- Challenger Ride (40 Miles)
- Adventurer Ride (62 Miles)
- Road Warrior Ride (100 miles)
All rides start and finish at Ohio University – Lancaster on Rt. 37 just north of Lancaster High School. Breakfast is provided beginning at 7 AM in the OU-L parking lot. Throughout the rest of the day, the ride will be fully supported by well-stocked lunch and snack stops; the ride will also be supported with mechanics and plenty of friendly volunteers to answer any questions and offer assistance. The after-ride party is great fun for all. Cristy’s Pizza and several other local restaurants will provide tons of great food. There will be live entertainment, door prizes and a bike raffle.
Life Church has supported the Tour de Cause financially and will also provide volunteers and riders for this event on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Please visit www.tourdecause.org or click here to volunteer, register or donate to the Tour de Cause, and please watch the informative video below about the drug problem in our very own community.