Over the past seven years, Lifecycles has helped young people ride the equivalent of more than four times around the Earth on their bicycles. "I track all the mileage of our local rides and our bigger trips, and we have now ridden more than 110,000 miles," said Lee DeRemer, who runs Lifecycles with his wife, Marcie.

The organization is open to boys and girls ages 12 to 18 and offers participants a chance to enjoy friendship, mentoring and bike riding, all with a faith focus.

"We offer the boys and girls a positive experience, encouragement, a challenge, goal setting, mentoring and spiritual growth," Lee explained. "Because our program includes all of that, there's no room left for bullying or people making fun of each other. ... We don't have kids tearing each other down. We like to say we find out what the teens are doing right, and we build on that."

Lifecycles began its current season on April 19 and is looking for more riders as well as more volunteers. Currently, the group has a girls' team that rides on Mondays in Lititz and three boys' teams - one in Marietta on Tuesdays, one in Landisville on Thursdays and another in New Holland also on Thursdays. The group also rides on two Saturdays a month.

"This is 100% free for participants," Lee noted. "There is never any cost for the riders. We have bikes, helmets and food for them. We provide a meal after each ride."

The organization is also looking for more volunteers. "If you would enjoy investing in a teenager, there are teenagers who need to have the encouragement and the example you can set," he stated. "If you enjoy riding, whether you're young or old, slow or fast, there's a ride group waiting for you." The group is also looking for volunteers to help serve meals or sign in participants at weekly rides.

Lee emphasized that Lifecycles is open to any youths in the county, and no experience with bike riding is necessary. "We don't have tryouts," he remarked. "If you show up at Lifecycles, we believe you're supposed to be there."

Along with weekly rides, Lifecycle members have the opportunity to participate in longer challenges as well. A group of eight boys and five leaders will ride from the coast of Oregon to the coast of Delaware between Thursday, June 10, and Sunday, Aug. 8, covering 3,600 miles. Close to 50 others will participate in one of three weeklong challenge rides from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., later this summer.

Lee noted that he's been impressed with the impact leaders have made on the riders and with the way the youths have responded to the program. "For three hours on one of those evenings, or five hours on a Saturday, we pry the phones out of the teens' fingers, and they find out they can live through the experience," he said with a laugh. In all seriousness, he noted that God has been present with Lifecycles since the beginning.

"We have ridden safely for seven years," he said. "That's a miracle. God has protected us, He has provided for us and He has sustained us."

For more information on Lifecycles, visit http://www.lifecyclesteam.org.