Yellow-shirt volunteers go the extra mile at Go the Distance for Autism

Ridgewood NJ, During the sixth annual “Go the Distance for Autism,” volunteers from the World Mission Society Church of God in Ridgewood provided a torch of encouragement for the cyclists riding for autism awareness and education. Lending a helping hand at the largest charity cycling event in New Jersey, about 100 of the volunteers worked in their well-known yellow shirts from early in the morning to the end of the event, held yesterday at Bergen Community College.

“We’re here to cheer, we’re here to win, so push that bike on till the end!” Volunteers stationed at each of the checkpoints shouted with one voice, while also providing cyclists with water, fruit and energy bars.

Even themed costumes were in the order of business for some of the volunteers. One volunteer in particular sported a renaissance outfit and a plastic light saber, yelling, “We are proud of you, we are proud of you!” Cyclists couldn’t help but smile as they passed him by.

“It takes a huge effort to put on this event,” said Chantelle Walker, director of development for Alpine Learning Group, an educational and behavioral center for individuals with autism and beneficiary of the event. “We have never had a volunteer effort like this church group. We’re stunned. We really are completely stunned about how wonderful they are.”

Walker continued to rave on about the great difference the Church of God volunteers made. “I think your crew has definitely changed the tone of things,” she said. “I’ve had comments from people here today, that they feel a different feeling than in years past. They felt a welcome from the minute they came through the entrance.”

The event raised more than $800,000 for the four participating autism programs: Alpine Learning Group, EPIC, Garden Academy, and REED Academy. All four are located in New Jersey, where autism affects 1 in every 45 children, and particularly 1 in every 24 boys.

After being shocked by the unity and selfless of the volunteers of the Church of God during past charity events in Washington, D.C. and Virginia, Eventage, an event planning company, was eager to work with them again and invited the Church to join this event.

“They’re pretty much heaven-sent, actually, because we couldn’t have done any of this stuff without you guys,” said Joey Farmer, director at Eventage. “When the team showed up this morning – a hundred people in the yellow shirts – we were just like, ‘thank goodness.’”