After swapping his gray West Point cadet jacket for a 4-H clover cyclist shirt, Richard Talbott will begin his first 250-mile ride to raise money that will send kids to 4-H camp.

An aspiring helicopter pilot and junior international relations major at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Talbott will be among more than 20 cyclists pedaling for dollars pledged to the Eighth Annual Outspoken for 4-H Bicycle Ride, hosted by the West Virginia University Extension Service.

Each cyclist is committed to raising a minimum of $500 in pledges.

The ride—which travels through eight counties—begins in Princeton at 7 a.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Mercer County 4-H Camp on Glenwood Park Road.

The journey is scheduled to end about 180,000 tire rotations later at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp, near Weston in Lewis County.

Although cycling is not a part of Talbott’s military training, the Gerrardstown native is confident that his physical training at West Point has prepared him for his first Outspoken ride—just as 4-H prepared him for the military.

“4-H helped to instill many of the values that are upheld in the military,” Talbott said. “The values behind the four H’s—head, heart, hands and health—are all optimized in the military.

“The 4-H club includes the phrase ‘for my club, my community, my country and my world.’ As a member of 4-H, I feel like I did help to improve my club and my community. Now, as a member of the military, I have the opportunity to improve my country and my world. No other organization in the world upholds the 4-H values like the U.S. military.”

Involved in 4-H for 14 years as a member of Berkeley County’s Arden 4-H Club, Talbott has been eager to explore different parts of the state as an Outspoken rider since he was 17, when Outspoken cyclists stopped at his Tri-County 4-H Camp to spend time with the campers.

This year, the 20-year-old cadet will be one of those awe-inspiring cyclists, whose commitment to head, heart, hands and health will ignite the admiration of other 4-H’ers.

Talbott already knows what to expect when he and the other cyclists ride into WVU Jackson’s Mill on Sunday. As is the tradition, they will be greeted by more than 300 cheering 4-H members eager to congratulate them and officially open the weeklong West Virginia Older Members’ 4-H Conference, the birthplace of “Outspoken for 4-H.”

Before the riders take those victory laps, however, they must push themselves through four hot, strenuous days. For their safety, the riders will be accompanied by a medical crew, a bike technician, a snack and drink provider and a crew van during their journey.

Their rest stops and lodging will be at parks and 4-H camps en route to WVU Jackson’s Mill.

Details about the route and the other riders are on the Extension Service website (www.ext.wvu.edu). The daily schedule by county is:
June 16 – Mercer, Summers, Monroe and Greenbrier counties
June 17 – Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties
June 18 – Pocahontas and Randolph counties
June 19 – Randolph, Upshur and Lewis counties

The route, which changed this year, highlights the southeastern region of the state.

“We want to change the route regularly to share 4-H with all parts of the state and to allow us to spend time with the volunteers and members in other counties,” said James Grantham, who is coordinating the ride for the sixth time.

“We also want new challenges,” he said. “We love the mountains.”

The annual bike ride rallies 4-H supporters, alumni and members to make tax-deductible donations to the 4-H Youth Development Program, a WVU Extension Service organization that touches the lives of one in four West Virginia youths each year.

Through WVU Extension faculty and volunteers, 4-H provides educational programs via clubs, individual projects, county and state camps, after-school programs and special interest groups. Research has shown that, while they have fun and make friends, 4-H youths learn leadership, citizenship and life skills through their individual and group projects.

All tax-deductible contributions will go directly to the program area chosen by donors, who have the option to select 4-H camp scholarships or other 4-H activities and projects.

To learn more about Outspoken for 4-H or to make a donation, visit www.outspokenfor4h.ext.wvu.edu .

-WVU-

eb/fsm—6/13/11

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.

CONTACT: Ann Bailey Berry, Extension
304-293-5691; 304-376-7740
Email: Ann.Berry@mail.wvu.edu