Pedal for the Pantry
Whether you ride a bike or not, here’s a great opportunity to raise funds for the OCS food pantry and its related programs!
Cyclists Charlotte McGowan and Wendy Kozol, who are both on the OCS board, plan to each ride 100 miles on Saturday, Sept. 21, with a goal of $25,000.
They’ll start at 7 a.m. at the Cooper Community Resource Center, and end at 5 p.m. at the same place, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin. You can support Team Charlotte or back Team Wendy — the team that raises the most for OCS will get bragging rights for the entire year!
Note: In the case of severe weather, the rain date will be Sunday, Sept. 22.
HOW TO SUPPORT THIS FUNDRAISER
You can click here to donate to OCS on behalf of Team Charlotte or click here to donate to OCS on behalf of Team Wendy — OR you can donate any amount the day of the event to join the ride for any distance! (Please note that during the ride limited services will be available at the Cooper Center only.)
Want to ride along?
You can join the ride with a donation of any amount! There are four routes that will be used as the day progresses (please note routes have been revised in the past week):
• 7:00 a.m. — Route 1 — 20.4 miles — Trail to Albrecht to Oberlin Rd to Russia to Quarry to Trail to OCS
• 8:30 a.m. — Break
• 8:45 a.m. — Route 2 — 28 miles — Oberlin Rd to Parsons to West to Lipton Nickle Plate to Diagonal to Biggs to Whitehead to Webster to West to Jones to Hawley to Webster to West to Lipton Nickle Plate to West to Parsons to Oberlin Rd OCS.
• 11:00 a.m. — Break
• 11:15 a.m. — Route 3 — 32.2 miles — Trail to Wakeman Elevator (12:30 for lunch). Back on Trail by 1:30 to Pyle-Amherst to Butternut Ridge to Trail to OCS.
• 2:45 p.m. — Break
• 3:00 p.m. — Route 4 — 19.7 miles — Trail to Russia to Quarry to Trail to Professor to College to Trail to OCS.
• 4:30 p.m. — Celebration
(See maps at the bottom of the page. There will be paper copies of the route maps and waiver at OCS on ride day.)
funds help families in need
The OCS food pantry gets groceries to between 300 and 350 struggling families each week, and that number has been rising. While we focus on ensuring the wellbeing of people in need in rural southern Lorain County, people come from all around to get relief from difficult situations. Your donation can offset the costs of stocking and running our normal pantry times three days a week, plus the many other food distributions OCS holds throughout the year!
IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR:
• 2,369 families have gotten food from the pantry and its related delivery programs.
• 6,962 individuals have gotten food.
• People have visited the pantry 17,141 times.
• 1,283 seniors (ages 60+) have gotten food via OCS.
• 2,209 children have received food.
• 3,460 working-age adults have received food.
• 1,128 families came to the OCS pantry for the first time, many telling us they are struggling to keep up with rising food prices.
