Biking for a Cause: Retired Officers Ride for First Responders
A group of retired officers called The Front Line Foundation are biking across the state to raise money for first responders. They bike 15 miles each day for 15 days in May. On Monday, they biked from Mississippi Gateway Regional Park to Elm Creek Park.
Biking For A Cause
Mike and Lora Strauss are retired Minneapolis police officers who are participating in a month-long bike ride to raise money for Minnesota’s first responders. Both are part of the The Front Line Foundation. Their pedal power has raised more than $12,000 so far.
Biking 15 miles a day for 15 days in May adds up to about 450 miles. The Foundation supports fire, first responders, EMS and National Guard members.
“We come alongside families that have lost a family member,” said Mike Strauss. “To this point over the last couple years it’s been 13. Those are the 13 we are riding for, to raise awareness and continue to raise funds to support those families when they’re dealing with that tragedy.”
So far the Strausses have raised more than $12,000 on their bike ride with about half of their ride yet to be completed.
“We’re very grateful and thankful for the opportunity to give back to families who have lost loved ones, to try and help alleviate some of the stress financially,” Lora Strauss.
Raising awareness
Lora and Mike Strauss want to carry on the legacies of first responders who have made sacrifices. They have have plenty of motivation for this ride
“I think awareness was the big one,” Mike Strauss said. “For people to understand these heroes that we’ve lost, just to not forget them. It’s very important.”
They each carry photos of these heroes each day while they ride.
“We pass a lot of families,” Lora Strauss said. “We pass a lot of people out getting exercise. But the most important thing is we like to read the history of each person that we’re riding for prior to our ride. That way while we’re out we can think about them, the sacrifices they made. How it affects their family and how it affects Minnesota as a community.”
Lora and Mike are supportive of first responders in the trenches who deal with the COVID-19 pandemic every day. They’ve never seen anything like it.
“I haven’t,” Lora Strauss said. “It’s a daily thing. It changes on a daily basis so we’re trying to be flexible and follow the rules and at the same time give back to people who are very deserving of it.”
To support Mike and Lora Strauss on their ride to support the Front Line Foundation visit www.thefronlinemn.org.
