John's Photos
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6/09: Jenny wrote... "John, what a fantastic thing you are doing for these kids. I got goose bumps just reading about it. Who knows how much farther these kids will all go in life thanks to you."

6/09: Damon wrote... "Congratulations, John! I really admire what you're doing for at-risk kids in Yuma... With your mentoring and coaching, and the new pro bikes and equipment you'll be getting, I wouldn't be surprised if one of your kids wins the Tour de France someday."

6/09: Terri wrote... "Hi John, in a society that is so quick to label and punish kids that don't have such a good start in life, you have proven what it takes to let their light shine. It works! Congratulations and blessings to you!"

6/10: Robin wrote... "What an amazing thing you are doing. All of our children deserve a chance at how incredible life is. It sounds like you took a big chance and are winning. Keep up the good work down in Arizona. If you ever take a bicycle trip along Hwy 2, stop here in Harlem, Montana. Bicyclists are always welcome."

6/24: J. Deer wrote... "Thank you for all that you do. It has been such so much fun watching the boys. They really are like kids on Christmas morning. I can't wait for the new bikes to get here!"

Meet John McBride from Yuma, Arizona

John McBride is a teacher at Crane Middle School in Yuma, Arizona but his commitment to his students goes well beyond the classroom. John used his own money to start a competitive biking program called Turning Point that gives at-risk kids an alternative to gangs and a reason to stay in school. His request of $20,000 for new pro racing bikes & equipment will allow even more kids to join the team, train, and compete in regional races and then hopefully, on to National Junior's competition. “We are not about just winning races,” says John. “Our goal is to save children.”

Last year, after seeing too many kids drop out of school to be lost in gangs and drugs, John borrowed $13,000 against his house to start this biking program. They ride 100-150 miles per week and he says, “The change in these kids has been dramatic! My kids come from homeless and poverty stricken families. I have seen kids murdered, and have had kids get sentenced to life for attempted murder. The most striking thing is when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they draw a blank. For them the future is prison or menial labor. It gives them a reason to avoid gangs and stay in school. But you should see my kids who ride the bikes!”

The team meets six days a week, training at least two hours a day, all year long… even in the winter cold and the scorching desert summers. Being a border community rife with gangs and drugs, biking gives these kids an alternative lifestyle through a very competitive and disciplined sport. Biking requires high fitness, determination, dedication and constant training. “We also give these kids a place to meet to escape some of the problems at home,” says John. “Almost all of my kids come from broken homes, two have had a parent commit suicide, many have been convicted of juvenile offenses, almost all have been held back a grade. We also help out with homework.”


Currently, the kids are riding on donated bikes that are over 20 years old, and upgraded department store bikes. And while they are winning events and placing, they are really outclassed when it comes to equipment. These kids are poor, and all come from broken homes with no revenue resources. The team now has six full time riders and there are six more on the waiting list who train with the team. With our donation and the equipment he currently has, John could easily expand the program to around 20 riders.

John requested $20,000 to purchase:
6 GT, GTR Pro Rival Road Bikes
6 Shimano Ultegra pedal sets
12 Team uniforms
12 Bib shorts
6 Pairs of road shoes

“These kids amaze me!” says John. “They train throughout vacations, weekends, and even when things are at their bleakest. I think that is why these boys have done as well as they have. They understand suffering, and biking is often about enduring physical pain and fatigue. On cheap, outdated equipment we have won some major road races and finished well in others.”

John also says this gift could not have come at a better time. The state budget cuts have eliminated the program but they are enduring through out of pocket donations by the coaches and sheer determination on the part of the kids. “We have made a 5 year commitment to each child in the hopes we can see them through high school and graduation.”

If you'd like to learn more about John and his Turning Point Cycling Team, here's a link to their website: http://www.eteamz.com/TeamTurningPoint

And here's a link to John's MySpace page (feel free to add him as a friend):  http://www.myspace.com/johncrms


Diary Starts Here

July 29, 2008
John sent me an email about a Saturday bike ride down highway 95 that reads more like a movie script and I hope everyone will read it. It illustrates his passion for helping others, and it shows you just how much one person can do... how many lives he can touch...how powerful a role model he can be.

Hello Jenny,

Today was a good day. I met up with four of the boys and coach Madrueno at 5:30 am for our Saturday ride. We planned on riding with one of the local race teams, Sahara Racing, and other members from Yuma Bike Club. All together there was about 20 of us that left out of the parking lot for the ride. By 6am it was already 97 degrees out!

We headed out Hwy 95 in a double pace line. I was riding in the back and couldn't help admiring my group in their matching red and black riding gear and black bikes. Even the red water bottles matched. They rode smartly for about five miles pulling together as a team and taking turns leading and drafting. We were doing over 20 mph at this point and there was no more than a few inches of space between the wheels of the riders.

Then came the first hill. It is not a great hill but it has a heck of a steep grade. Angle of course flew up the hill effortlessly, that boy is a natural climber, even passing the Sahara Team with ease. The groups thinned out and separated and I found myself pulling lead with three boys in trail behind me. We hit the 25 mile mark within an hour and 10 minutes, holding a 21.5 mph average. Not to bad for some kids who had never even rode a road bike before a couple of months ago! By this time it was 102 degrees outside.

We stopped at a Circle K for some ice and water and I bought the boys candy bars. To be honest, I am always amazed at the transformation that comes over these kids when they ride. One of the boys always wears baggy clothes over his riding gear because red is the rival gang colors, off the bike they are tight lipped and tense, on the bikes they relax, smile and joke...they are kids again!

Coach Madrueno was somewhere in the rear group. She called me to say they would meet us in a small town midway on the ride. I was so happy for Coach Madrueno, she told us today that she was finally pregnant after trying for the past few years. The boys were so happy for her and protective. They were so worried she shouldn't be riding! One of the boys stayed behind just to keep an eye on her, playing the role of mother hen!

We hit the Hwy again and gained some speed on the long smooth road. The wind started picking up and gusting and I was glad all of my boys had decent eyewear. Before they used to get so much grit and dirt in their eyes blowing off the plowed farm fields that their eyes would be red and teary, but now the new wrap around glasses you bought us work fantastic!

I keyed my ipod to some AC/DC and picked up the pace. I could tell by the shadows that the boys were right behind me. Four silhouettes against the pavement. My speedometer was reading 23 mph at this point. (Another item we bought with your money and makes a huge difference, each boy has a bike computer.) By this time it was 105 degrees out.

We crest the mesa on our final climb and enjoy descending, hitting speeds over 36 mph on the way down. Behind me I hear the boys laugh with the sheer joy of going fast. By now we have covered over 40 miles and legs and butts are feeling the strain. Yet when I accelerate they match me pedal stroke for pedal stroke. It is moments like these when I truly love these hard-bitten, frowning kids from the streets! There is no quit in them and to stop them you would have to kill them. I push a little harder, trying to break them up a little, I try tricks like swerving and changing speeds. They stick to me like glue.

We pull into our staging area with exactly 50 miles on the computers. We finished the ride in 2 hours and 20 minutes, a 21.42 mph average. Today it hit 106 degrees with 30% humidity and gusting winds of 19 mph. We fought the heat, the hills, the wind (which always seemed to be against us!) and won. We rejoin coach Madrueno and her shadow, tease each other about speeds and who pulled who. The boys are drenched, caked in sweat and salt, but they are happy.

And you know what? So am I!

Thank you so much Jenny for your gift. You really do not know what a difference you have made. To be honest I do not care if the boys ever compete in a single race, just seeing the transformation in them when we do these training rides, the pride I feel when they accomplish something great, I wish I had the words to convey the emotions.

You did, John, and thank you for making us proud.

July 11, 2008
John got his bikes! He says they are beautiful - black with white and silver trim, light-weight and with indexed shifting (that means no more dropped chains). The kids love them and couldn't wait to get on the road. They've already put 100 miles on them. Thanks to John's wheeling and dealing, his initial shopping list has more than doubled! He will have enough clothes and shoes to last for at least three years and should be able to mount between 15-20 kids! He sent us these pictures of the new bikes, cycling gear and uniforms. It's exciting just to see the pictures so you can imagine how thrilled the kids must be.

July 7, 2008
The kids are busy revamping the bike room, building bike racks, putting up posters, and painting. Their plan is to have it all ready by the end of summer to hold some bike clinics and tryouts. "I am so proud of the team and the difference is already amazing," says John. "I have always believed that environment has a big impact upon behavior. Dress the part and act the part and pretty soon you will become the part. This is true of my kids. They are already feeling like champions!"

June 19, 2008
We hear the kids can hardly contain their excitement. "I keep telling them we will have everything together by the end of the month," says John, "but they still ask EVERY DAY if anything has come in! You must realize that for these kids they do not get much in the way of gifts so this is like a thousand Christmas' wrapped into one!! The support crew is busy building bike racks to hold 20 bikes. The four new riders are riding every morning and doing an hour of spin class working on conditioning. The temps are hitting 113F here so we try to have the road riding done by 9am, then move our training indoors. The kids are also discussing what races we will compete in for the 2009 season."

All the bikes are on order and John just ordered new helmets, gloves, socks, and other gear. I'm with the kids: "When are the bikes coming!!!??? Are they there yet?" I can't wait!

June 12, 2008
John sent this email to express what this grant means to him...
"I cannot say what a difference Jenny's generous contribution has made. Already two kids who I was losing now want to clean up their act and come back! The kids are celebrating and training hard. We have already ordered 15 bikes and riding gear for a dozen riders. I need to also thank the other teachers, Mrs. Cinthia Madrueno and Ms. Jennifer Deer, they are the heart and brains of the program!

Also thank you to our local bike shop, Mr. B's Bikes of Yuma for helping us stretch our dollars and fill some very big orders! Ireally believe that this donation will have a ripple effect. We are already able to apply for matching funds and could easily serve twice as many students within the next few months. Thank you Jenny!!"

June 11, 2008
I spoke to John this morning and he's still recovering from his whirlwind day on Monday. His phone rang off the hook and he even heard from an old friend who served with him in the Marines 17 years ago! John celebrated his good news by taking his kids out to a steak dinner and to the local bike shop.

He's also taking the support kids to the tool store. This is the team that maintains and rebuilds bikes, in fact they got so good at it that the bike shop will let them work there over the summer. With our grant money, John will be buying fifteen new bikes which is more than the six he originally planned. And a ripple effect has already started: Two more teachers have offered to join the team, volunteering their time, and the school district has approved them as an official after school program so now they will have liability insurance and some new space to use as a workshop. And John is moving quickly. He has already ordered new uniforms and protective eyewear, still working to get the best deal on the bikes. By the way, John is recovering from shoulder surgery and at the same time, his 94-year old grandmother broke her hip. John's injury was from a biking accident and grandma's happened when she jumped a block fence to visit her 80 year old boyfriend!

June 9, 2008
What an exciting phone call this was to make. I surprised John at his school today with the news that he is our newest hero. We had a lot of help from principal Linda Huff and her assistant Dara Highland. The phone call took place in the principal's office where everyone gathered, including other teachers, public affairs officer Chris Weigel, the TV news and local newspaper reporters, the local government channel, and then John himself who came in with some of his bike riders. When I asked why he only requested $20,000 John said, "I was afraid if I asked for too much I wouldn't get it." So I made it $25,000 on the spot because John said the more bikes he can get, the more kids can ride. Everyone was thrilled and it was great to hear their joy and excitement over the phone.