For many of the people who walked through Lititz Springs Park during the COBYS Bike and Hike in September 2014, the route was the easy part. The hard work, and the reason they came, happens the rest of the year, in homes across Lancaster County where foster and adoptive families open their doors to children who need them.
The 18th annual fundraiser drew more than 500 participants and brought in an estimated $102,000 for COBYS Family Services, the Lititz-based agency that supports foster care, adoption and family life education. It was the second year in a row the event was expected to top the $100,000 mark.
A walk in the park, literally
Ann Saylor of Manheim walked the three-mile hiking route through downtown Lititz with her husband and two foster children. For Saylor, who had been a COBYS foster parent for 27 years and had cared for some 60 children in that time, the walk was a natural extension of her life. At one point, she recalled, she had five children under the age of five in her home at once.
She described the event as a simple way to give back to the organization that helps bring children into safe homes. While she walked, her daughter raised money on a 60-mile motorcycle ride, one of several course options.
Bikes of every size
Cyclists chose between 10-mile and 25-mile routes. Among them were Brad and Elizabeth Herr of Lititz, adoptive parents who rode with their young daughter on a tandem bike at the front of the pack as riders left the Lititz Church of the Brethren, the event’s longtime host.
Elizabeth Herr said COBYS had always been her charity of choice because it helps families stay together and, when that isn’t possible, helps new families come together.
Another family pedaled the shorter route between Manheim and Lititz on a bicycle built for four. Asked about their favorite parts of the day, the children’s answers were refreshingly direct: the ice cream waiting at the finish, and the downhill stretches.
A gracious host
COBYS Executive Director Mark Cunningham praised the Lititz Church of the Brethren for its generosity. Each year, the congregation set up the sound system, stored supplies and, on event day, kept gallons of ice cream in its freezer for returning riders and walkers. Cunningham described the support as the church’s way of ministering alongside COBYS.
Fundraisers and friendly challenges
Don Fitzkee, COBYS director of development and the event’s lead planner, said the door prizes were his own favorite part of the day. His mother, Floy Fitzkee, was the top individual fundraiser in 2014, bringing in $6,185.
A friendly challenge added to the total. Lampeter-Strasburg Police Chief Steve Echternach, a member of the COBYS board, pledged an extra $20 for every cyclist who beat his time on the 25-mile course. Thirteen riders did.
New in 2014 was a silent auction, which gave community members who weren’t up for a ride or hike another way to support the agency. More than 90 local businesses contributed as sponsors or auction donors, and Fitzkee said he was thrilled with the response.
Three generations of caring
One of the most memorable participants was 86-year-old Norma Groff of Manheim, who set aside a day of canning tomatoes and pears to walk with her daughter, Mary Martin. Martin had been a COBYS foster mother for 15 years and cared for 31 children in that time, and Groff lived with her and helped care for them.
Martin called COBYS a great agency to work with for anyone considering fostering or adoption.
About COBYS
Beyond foster care and adoption, COBYS Family Services offers family life education classes and counseling services. The annual Bike and Hike remains its largest fundraiser, and the event continues to draw riders, walkers and supporters to Lititz each September.
For many participants, the money raised matters less than what it represents: a community willing to show up, on foot or on two wheels, for children and families who need a hand. As one supporter put it in the comments after the 2014 event, it was great to see the community come together for COBYS.
Families interested in fostering, adoption or COBYS programs can learn more at cobys.org.