My name is Nichole and I am a 25 year old Packaging Engineer from Upstate New York. I graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008 and have been exploring my new home of New England for the past 6 months. While I enjoyed volunteering with the Special Olympics and participating in Adopt-a-Highway in college, I wasn’t active in the affordable housing movement and am looking forward to this opportunity. A friend told me about Bike and Build and I have been awaiting the 2010 applications with a mixture of excitement and even a tiny amount of nervousness. I have always wanted to travel and to see EVERYTHING this world has to offer and this is an amazing opportunity to start, and at a very different viewpoint, by traveling through my own country's backyard. The part I am looking forward to the most would be to bike through Colorado, as it has been my favorite state to visit and it's been so long since I've been able to see those breathtaking views.
As one of my favorite shows is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, I feel a sense of purpose and the draw to be part of something that is bound to have a positive social effect. Becoming involved in programs that educate the public about poverty and its effects is extremely important. People can only make a difference if they are aware that there is a problem. Like any country, Americans of all income levels face issues and hardships that shield them from the issues and hardships facing others. In order to change their situation, many people living in poverty need a hand up towards a brighter future. That is another reason that I am so excited to be a part of Bike and Build, so that I can take an active stance in fighting America’s war on poverty and to know that I have truly been able to make a difference in people’s lives, and also have made a difference in how America rebuilds itself. If we are able to reach even one person each day that will become involved in this effort, and they in turn reach another, then maybe we can begin to build a country worthy of being called a leader in the world.
For me this trip is all about taking chances, making a difference, and breaking through my comfort zones. I love running and anything that will give me an endorphin rush and I love testing my limits and am constantly competing with myself. On a physical level it is a personal goal to be able to say I biked across the country! I want to gain from this experience a greater sense of who I am and how I can help people less fortunate than myself. I will be a stronger, more confident adult that knows if I can cycle across the US then I can do anything. This will be a test in self exploration and is about becoming the person I wanted to be when I was 15; it’s my first step at knowing that I am doing what I can to contribute to a better world, one where I can be proud of and be happy to pass on to subsequent generations.
