BARB MEEKHOF
Barb has been a Board Member with LPC for 15 years. She is married to Arlan and has 3 married children, 3 grandchildren and 1 on the way. Barb became involved with the Ride4Life 2 years ago when she teased our former director about this event being “men only.” He challenged her to go and she accepted, thinking the next ride was to Chicago but didn’t back down when she found out it was to Grapevine TX. She found the ride challenging and awesome and has wanted to go every year since. She rode with the team to Orlando in 2011 and is excited for the trip around the lake in 2012.
BONNIE GRUPPEN
Bonnie is a busy wife, mother, and aerobics instructor with a passion for ZUMBA. She teaches at Girlfriends Fit Club in Holland and we are so happy to have her along for her 2nd year on the Ride4Life. She has been a Client Advocate Volunteer at the Holland Center for 10 years. She rode to Orlando last year as part of the Ride4Life team and we are so happy she is ready to ride again this year!
JONNA LUBBERS
Jonna is new to Ride4Life this year. She says that “God is always pulling me into his ways and my confidence is in him! I love what LPC does in every way, they love people just like our creator does!” Jonna plans to take the fall training after the Ride4Life and looks forward to serving God at LPC. When asked about her family, Jonna will tell you that they are amazing! They enjoy boating, traveling, and a self-sustainable lifestyle. She has enjoyed biking for years so when asked if she was interested in this event she said” YES PLEASE!”
HOLLY ROELOFS
Holly is 22 years old. She is a hairstylist and supervisor at an events facility. She enjoys health, being outdoors and exercise. “I am super excited about this Ride4Life and all the opportunities and lives being impacted by this trip! I am going on this trip because it is an answer to prayer. I had prayed for a challenging opportunity that would be impacting for the kingdom of God. This was brought to my attention as a total God thing and I am so excited to see what this brings!”
VICTORIA GEURINK (no photo)
Victoria is a senior at Allendale High School and is missing the first week of school this year to go on the Ride4Life. She is joining her 76 year old Grandma (Betty Geurink) on the ride and we are thrilled to have them both! Her parents are Steve & Linda and she has 3 siblings. She is very active in sports and plays Varsity Basketball and Track/Field at Allendale. We are so excited to have Vicky joining us this year!
EMILY KNOUSE
Emily has been volunteering at LPC as a Client Advocate all summer after taking the Spring Training. “I’ve never been much into playing sports or doing anything athletic but this sounded so challenging in a way I have never been before. I knew it was just something I had to do. I loved the idea of raising money for a cause I had been working for all summer. Working with women in a crisis pregnancy is something I have fallen in love with being a part of and has made so many changes in me. Having not been on a bike in about 10 years made my first few weeks of training pretty tough but I stuck it out and am absolutely excited to be doing the Ride4Life!”
BETTY GEURINK
Betty is joining us for her 2nd ride. In 2010 she went on the ride to Grape Vine, Texas and is back for more! “I would like to ride to raise money to save the lives of little ones. That is why I ride since it is a big commitment for me at my age since I am 76 years old. This opportunity is special since my teenage granddaughter Victoria is also going on the ride this year. It is great to see more of the country while riding and meeting new folks.” Betty lives in Zeeland with her husband Glen. They have 4 married children, 14 grandchildren and 2 great grandbabies.
CECILIA DeCOOK
This is Cecilia, and I'm the "stoker" on the DeCook tandem. I learned to love my bicycle starting when I was about 14--it was the wind-in-your-hair freedom thing that got me I guess. I went to undergrad at Michigan State's big campus and loved to peddle to class for those four years. It was after getting into the tandem scene with Dan that I got a vision and a taste for long distance biking and bike touring. I love that I can enjoy myself riding then enjoy myself replacing the calories I burn later.
As a part of the medical community, I have seen how important the mission of a pregnancy center is to any town. I was part of the governing board of the pregnancy center in Marquette when we lived there for a few years, and met many wonderful and dedicated people through this. I'm glad to be an active part now of Holland's pregnancy center, and feel like I have a hand in encouraging young women and the people that they love to choose life.
DAN DeCOOK
Hi. I'm Dan, the boy-member of the DeCook entry. While I wouldn't want to give my age directly, in bike lingo, I'm a little more than halfway thru that great Century ride of life. So riding all those Century miles (metric and otherwise) every day will just seem like a dress rehearsal for life.
I grew up with a Schwinn Stingray, going over ramps and jumps, so not your usual long distance ride. My wife gave me a bike about 12 years ago, recognizing that I had quit running and needed something new to keep fit (she had also given me a treadmill--see a pattern?) We did a lot of riding with kids in Burleys, and kids on tag-alongs. Somewhere soon after, someone put a tandem in front of us, and our interest really took off. It's fun to have your riding partner along every ride, so close that normal conversation is easy. Love on a tandem is never having to wait at the top of a climb for the other person (or never having to ride the brakes on the way down to stay together, either.) And because I get to steer (and shift, and brake) since I'm in front, it's almost like always having the TV remote :)
We have had personal contact with LPC for years, either thru patients we have shared or friends and family who have worked there, but we have never done a fundraiser for them. It's an awkward new position to be in, as we have usually been the ones getting fundraiser letters from all my nephews and nieces doing mission trips. But we really believe in the mission of LPC, and have seen personally its practical ministry matching its vision statement. We are excited to be a part of this venture.
SHERRY HOPPEN
This is Sherry’s 3rd year on the Ride4Life and she is our “Fearless Leader” this year. “I have been with LPC as a volunteer or staff member for 8 years now and have a true passion for this ministry! I live in Zeeland with my husband Craig. We have 3 children and a son in law. They are so supportive of this Ride and encourage me every step of the way. While the ride is challenging I am continually amazed at the way God reveals himself every day whether we are training or on the actual ride. It has taught me to be aware of his presence in so many ways whether through the people we meet along the way or the places we see. I am grateful for the opportunity to do this ride it enables to do something I love and raise money for a cause I love.”
BEN HYINK
After embarking on a purely self-motivated trans-continental bike trip in 2007, I decided to participate in this worthy cause after Barb Meekhof convinced me to ride. LPC is doing such a great work in west Michigan, I count it a privilege to help out this ministry in this way.
STEPHANIE VRUGGINK
Stephanie is also new to the Ride4Life Team and new to biking. She purchased her bike at the beginning of this summer and has prepared for the trip by completing a couple Century Rides as well as group rides whenever time allows. She is a hairstylist at Fusion in Allendale. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to give back to God and make an impact in other people’s lives. Learning what an impact LPC has had in so many lives is continued motivation!”
THE SUPPORT TEAM (aka. SAG DRIVERS & LUNCH LADIES)
DAVE & LYLA DOYLE
Dave and Lyla will help in the SAG vehicles for the second year. They are semi-retired pastors who have always been involved in ministry. They currently are serving as interim pastors in Volga, South Dakota but are willing to take time away to be part of the Ride4Life.
“As the parents of the Executive Director of Lakeshore Pregnancy Center, we have a special interest in the of LPC. But besides that, we believe that human life is precious in the sight of God. We are then, honored to be part of this team in an effort to preserve the lives of the unborn.” Lyla has served as a Client Advocate Volunteer at LPC for over fours years and both are prayer partners for LPC. The ride team last year considered them the resident parents. They took care of everyone so well we just had to have them back again this year! “We count it a privilege to be part of this ministry. We love life and will do all we can to support what LPC does for life!”
CAROLYN DOYLE
I have the honor to serve as the Executive Director of LPC and support those joining us on the Ride4Life this year. I really enjoy being part of the team in this way. The riders train very hard so while on the ride we want to make sure they are safe and well fed.
This ride has become a wonderful experience but more than that it is a great method to raise awareness for life! At LPC we love people and want them to live life fully, as God intended. Thank you for your interest, support and love for life.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know the team. Please pray for and follow us here on the blog daily!
