Student bikes across country

Optometry student Michael Pavell fulfilled his passion for volunteering this summer with a bicycle ride across the United States to support the organization Bike and Build.

Pavell, 23, and the rest of the Central U.S. Bike and Build Team traveled 3,794 miles on bicycles in 74 days.

Bike and Build raises money for affordable housing throughout the country with cross-country cycling trips, said Justin Villere, director of operations and outreach.

The Central team raised $152,553 during the course of their trip.

Bike and Build organizes eight cross country trips every summer.

“We start on the east coast and then break west,” Villere said. “Our riders dip their back tire in the Atlantic and dip their front tire in the Pacific when they get done.”

Each rider is required to raise $4,500 before the trip, but Pavell raised $4,600.

“We use 45 percent of that money to directly fund affordable housing programs,” Pavell said. “The other 55 percent of the money goes towards things like van fees, uniforms, bikes, equipment. Anything that helps the program.” 

The riders are on the road for about 10 weeks but stop every few days to help build with affordable housing organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Rebuilding Together. 

“I got into Bike and Build through a friend of mine from high school who had done it, and I went from there,” Pavell said. “It sounded like a great experience.”

Pavell put in 500 training hours before he left for the trip.

“We have about 30 riders on each of our trips, so they develop a pretty strong team rapport,” Villere said.

Bike and Build was founded in 2002, and the first bike trip took place in 2003.
Since then, the organization has engaged 2,000 young adults.

Bike and Build has volunteered 160,000 build hours and has donated $4.5 million to different nonprofit affordable housing organizations across the country.

The riders will perform any task that is needed from the organization they are working with, Villere said.

They will make dry wall, frame, paint, landscape or do anything else they are asked, he said.

“It is kind of a two-pronged impact when it comes to affordable housing because there is the volunteer side and then the grant side,” Villere said.

“There is also the intangible impact that we have. We do a large amount of advocacy in all the communities that we pass through. Our riders are trained to talk about the organization and talk about the cause.”

Bike and Build is determined to make an impression that is greater than just affordable housing, Villere said.

“The other half of our mission is to develop typically engaged young adults who are able to help in any sort of community service or volunteerism, not just affordable housing,” Villere said.

“When the riders are done with the trip they are able to be more involved in their community and work towards making a better life for others.”

Pavell said he has benefited from his experience with Bike and Build.

“It definitely opened my eyes more to Habitat for Humanity and how every city does have an affiliate, and there are a lot people working towards that,” Pavell said. “It also opened my eyes to how they are very underfunded and need a lot of help.”

Applications for Bike and Build group leaders will be accepted later this month.
In November, the regular rider applications will be online.

More information for getting involved will be posted in the coming weeks on the organization’s website, BikeandBuild.org.

“Most of our riders are not big-time cyclists before they join Bike and Build,” Villere said. “The main people that we are looking for are individuals that are committed to service and have a passion for being involved in the community.”

Follow reporter Brody Miller on Twitter at
@BrodyMillerIDS.