Nation's Teens Unite to Ride for Respect

This August thousands of teens from Anchorage to Atlanta and from Poughkeepsie to Poncha Springs will be pedaling five miles each in a massive movement to build self-respect and self-esteem in teens across the USA. The event is called Ride for Respect.

(PRWEB) June 1, 2005 -- July 2005 is circled on Lance Armstrong's calendar as the month he will pursue a record-breaking seventh Tour de France victory. Beginning the week after the yellow jersey is awarded, teens from Anchorage to Atlanta and from Poughkeepsie to Poncha Springs will strive for a first of their own. Pedaling five miles each, thousands of youth will join forces in the Ride for Respect, a massive movement to build self-respect and self-esteem in teens across the USA.

Riders build self-respect by gaining a sense of accomplishing something worthwhile as they take the time and effort to ride, as well as collect pledges to support a cause dedicated to teens. Hey U.G.L.Y. is a 501C3 nonprofit whose mission is to empower teens with self-esteem building tools which will help them counter challenges such as eating disorders, bullying, substance abuse and suicide.

The Ride for Respect is a simple concept with national implications. "We hope to include at least one teen in every county of the USA," said Dr. Jim Kestner, the event's director. Kestner, who is a board member of Hey U.G.L.Y., is one of the nation's leading character-development experts and a cycling enthusiast. "Riders will commit to raise $100.00 in pledges and ride their bicycles five miles during August 2005. A map on the web will include every county in the USA; as riders complete the event, their counties will be highlighted on the map. When visitors click on a county, they will be able to see each rider's name, home town, and school."

The ride is a fundraiser for Hey UGLY (UGLY is an acronym for Unique Gifted Loveable You), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping teens build self-respect and self-esteem. "We're developing an after-school program that will be tested in about 20 schools during the 2005-2006 school year," said Kestner, who is developing the curriculum and serves as Hey UGLY spokesman. "The Ride for Respect is a special event that we hope will help us raise the funds we need to kick off the program and at the same time introduce us to teens and schools across the nation," said Betty Hoeffner, cofounder of Hey U.G.L.Y., Inc., NFP.

All participating riders will get a free t-shirt, a goody bag of freebies from event sponsors, and a certificate celebrating their achievement. Most importantly," says Kestner, theyll earn the feeling of accomplishment that comes from taking part in a new teen movement for self-respect and self-esteem. Weve made getting involved easy, too. Riders fill out an entry form at heyugly.org, then well send them a packet with all the information they need."

Though riders in Paris, Illinois, will finish 4,200 miles from the Arc de Triomphe, their Ride for Respect t-shirts will serve as permanent reminders of the day they fastened their helmets and took on the streets of a nation, united by a cause, honored by peers for whom their efforts will make a difference. Riders can sign up at http://www.kesweb.com/links/Rideforrespect.html.

Hey U.G.L.Y. Inc., NFP, developed in 2001, is a 501C3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower teens with self-esteem building tools, to help them counter challenges such as eating disorders, bullying, violence, substance abuse and suicide. Hey U.G.L.Y. is founded on the belief that heightened self-esteem in todays youth is the key to helping them deal with day-to-day peer pressure and challenge. Their interactive website, http://www.heyugly.org features contests, articles from well-respected experts, relevant news items, and provides a forum for teens to share their ideas, concerns, and questions on topics ranging from school and friends to world events.

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