Mark Schultz

Mark Schultz Completes 3,500 Mile Benefit Bicycle Ride, Releases Broken & Beautiful Expanded Edition

San Diego, Ca. (July 11, 2007)- Mark Schultz, has completed his goal of bicycling 3,500 miles “Across America” to benefit orphans and widows through the Family Christian Stores James Fund. He set out on May 7 with his back tire sitting in the cool waves of the Pacific Ocean at Newport Beach, CA. With his front tire in the Atlantic Ocean at Wallis Sands State Beach in Portsmouth (Rye), NH on Friday, July 6, Schultz can look back on a successful journey that brought in more than $250,000. The ride also generated a documentary and new music video to be featured in the Broken & Beautiful Expanded Edition CD/DVD releasing Sept. 25.

“Wow! I didn’t know I could do this,” exclaims Schultz after reaching the Atlantic and realizing a goal accomplished. “To ride across the country on a bike is something, but the real accomplishment here is what happens to lives as children and widows receive the benefit of the monies raised. I can’t thank enough the people that have supported me throughout this journey, from my crew on the road, to the people at the James Fund, the sponsors, all the encouraging souls I have met along the way and especially my wife and the orphans who gave me the courage to do this. I could not have done this without them.”

Donations to help orphans and widows are still being taken. See http://markacrossamerica.org/finished.htm for more information on how to participate.

Among the many highlights of the Across America bike tour, many to be featured in the documentary, Schultz was able to make a special guest appearance June 8 at the Klicks for Kids photo exhibit. The exhibit featured the artwork of 67 Kansas children currently waiting to be adopted and was hosted by the agency from where Mark was adopted as a child, The Kansas Children’s Service League. As a Kansas native, Mark was also encouraged by the spirit of fellow Kansans as they worked to clean up from the wake of an F5 Tornado that became one of the worst natural disasters to strike Kansas. On May 31, he toured through Greensburg, KS, where much of the devastation had occurred, and decided to donate 100% of the proceeds from his concert in Dodge City, KS that evening to relief efforts in the Greensburg area.

While the proceeds of that concert went to the local community, the people at Schultz’s concert June 29 at the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, NY raised over $20,000 for orphans and widows. Later that week (July 1), Schultz had the opportunity to ride with three former orphans from Poland and their adoptive mom while traveling from Rotterdam to Troy, NY. Inspired by the cause of Mark’s ride, the family also raised money per mile for the James Fund as they rode with Schultz

In addition to the over $250,000 raised through the bicycle trip across America, Schultz and the Family Christian Stores James Fund are partnering together to raise more support for widows and orphans through an online auction. Items currently up for bid include a Tim McGraw guitar, Brett Farve jersey, Kenny Chesney autographed photo and more items from various celebrities. The proceeds from the auction will go directly to support hands on work with orphans in the US and abroad, adoption assistance for families bringing orphans home to a forever family, and for quality of life improvement for widows who are in distress. To make a bid on an item visithttp://markacrossamerica.org/auction.php.

More information about the Across America ride can be found at www.markacrossamerica.org. For additional information on Mark Schultz, visit www.markschultzmusic.com