ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
University of Central Florida student Lauren Brown will soon attempt a coast-to-coast bike ride, stretching more than 3,600 miles! "What better way to see the country and help other people?" Lauren asks. She says it's a way for her to, "do something more than what I'm doing with myself right now."
As a junior at UCF, Lauren got accepted to "Bike and Build" a few months ago and is already practicing on her new bike. The program leads volunteers on a weeks-long ride, cycling from site to site building homes for "Habitat for Humanity."
"We have a couple of rest days," Lauren explains. "It's probably 50 to 100 miles [riding every day], and then there are 13 or 14 build days. We'll be working with different Habitat for Humanity [programs."
Still, there's one last task before Lauren's laps around campus turn in to cross-country miles. She needs to raise money to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Lauren has collected half of the $4,500 goal.
DONATE TO LAUREN'S RIDE FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
"I actually did my first build a couple of weeks ago with the Orlando Chapter [of Habitat for Humanity], and it was honestly a great experience!" Lauren told us. "You really don't get a feel of what affordable housing is until you get down and dirty with it and start knocking down walls."
Lauren will be among 300 riding with "Bike and Build" this summer. One of the program's routes will bring volunteers through Florida to help construct houses here.
