The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By:Ben Hoyle of The Journal-Standard, Freeport June 23, 2002 (used with their permission)
Freeport special ed teacher Amber Brookhart is riding her bike from St. Paul, Minn., to Chicago for AIDS charity.
It's hot out. We're talking about late-July hot.
The sun is reflecting up off the near-molten asphalt which will give you a sunburn even though you are hunched over the handlebars of your bike.
You've been pedaling steadily all day, up hill and down. You've covered 50 miles today, 250 miles this week, but you're only half-way there - somewhere near Madison.
Your name is Amber Brookhart and this is what you have to look forward to when you take part in the 500-mile Heartland AIDSRide from St. Paul, Minn., to Chicago from July 22 to July 27.
"I'm really looking forward to it," said Brookhart, who just finished her second year teaching life skills to special ed students at Freeport Junior High School, and who will celebrate her 25th birthday on the first day of the ride by biking more than 80 miles. "One of my friends did it last year and I helped her prepare and do fund-raising. I wished I could have done it, but at that point it was too late to register, so I decided I was definitely doing it this year."
As a matter of fact, Brookhart signed up for the AIDSRide in the fall of 2001, more than nine months before the ride. Of the 1,700 people who will take part in the ride, Brookhart was the 1,043rd to register.
It's good that Brookhart has had so much time to get ready for the big ride. She has had to do a great deal of preparation.
First and foremost, Brookhart has had to become a cyclist, which wasn't too hard considering that she is naturally athletic. She played volleyball for Western Illinois University while earning her bachelor's degree and even lifted weights competitively for a while.
"I'm very active," Brookhart said. "I can't just sit still. I could work out in the gym for three hours. I've been trying to bike about 40 to 50 miles a day and then go for a longer ride on the weekends. I just did a 67-mile ride in Madison for a diabetes charity."
Brookhart, who lives in Rockford and teaches a summer school class is even thinking about riding her bike the 25 to 30 miles one-way to Freeport every day for her training.
But she has been concerned with more than just training. In order to take part in the ride, Brookhart has to raise $2,500. The lions' share of that money will go to three umbrella AIDS charities serving Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, which according to the official Web site of the AIDSRide, www.bethepeople.com, are:
AIDS Cycle Inc. of Illinois supports six HIV/AIDS service organizations which provide HIV/AIDS primary health care, housing, case management, education and other health and healing services to the HIV-infected and at-risk population.
AIDS Events Minnesota is comprised of organizations that provide meals, housing and practical support for people with HIV and AIDS in Minnesota.
AIDS Network of Wisconsin is the lead HIV/AIDS service organization in south central Wisconsin working with the National Minority AIDS Council and the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin to provide health care and other services to people affected by HIV/AIDS.
"I like to do these types of activities for the charities," Brookhart said. "I feel better getting a challenge for myself and turning that into an opportunity to give to a charity."
Brookhart said that most of her donations have come from friends, family and coworkers, but she is still short of the $2,500 mark. At race time, any money she hasn't raised, she will contribute herself.
"I talked to Steve and Steph at WZOK in Rockford and they have donated some money," Brookhart said. "I've also been gifted with very generous co-workers at the junior high. It has been amazing to see the amount of money I have go up."
Brookhart can keep track of her donations by checking the AIDSRide Web site, and her supporters can donate to her directly at the Web site or by calling (800) 825-1000, and identifying Brookhart by her registration number: 1043.
The level of support from her co-workers shouldn't surprise Brookhart, who is well thought of by her boss, junior high principal Scott Wiley.
"She's done a great job with our kids," Wiley said. "She came highly recommended as a young teacher and hit the ground running.
Wiley stressed the importance of community and cheered Brookhart for going out of her way to give something positive to the community by being in the ride.
"I'm sure we'll celebrate her successful completion of the ride," Wiley said. "I don't know what we'll do, but we'll celebrate her accomplishment."
As far as Brookhart is concerned, finishing the ride is the biggest thing. She knows that she can sit out certain portions of the trip, but she wants to be in the right shape to do it all from start to finish.
A crazy as it sounds, she's looking forward to every mile.
"My friend who did this last year said it was an unbelievable experience," Brookhart said. "It's an emotional and mental journey. We'll go through all these little towns along the way, and my friend said that there are all sorts of people cheering you on. Sometimes you meet people you are helping and they can't thank you enough."
It's enough to make Brookhart get on her bike and ride. Amber's parents are Mr & Mrs. Robert Brookhart of Media. [Ben Hoyle can be reached at 815-232-0146 or bhoyle@journalstandard.com.]