"http://www.prodigalsonmagazine.com/life/news42smallpic.gif" width=
"241" height="68" align="left" style=
"padding-right:6px;">NEWS :: MARK SCHULTZ ACROSS
AMERICA
Everybody’s peddling something, but Schultz says, “My wheels are
turning to actually get somewhere.? And that destination is his
cause, helping orphans and widows.
"http://www.prodigalsonmagazine.com/life/news42big.gif" width="530"
height="147"> Family Christian Stores’ The James Fund Presents:
Mark Schultz Across America 3,500 Mile Bike Tour To Raise Support
for Orphans, Widows Launches May 6 Tour Sponsored By Trek Bikes,
Bethany Christian Services, Regal Boats, Buffini & Company,
Gospel Music Association, AB Bike Company, Epiphone Guitars, more
(Nashville, TN) April 10, 2007: Platinum selling, Dove Award
winning recording artist, Mark Schultz, is embarking on an ACROSS
AMERICA bike ride to raise support for orphans and widows. From May
6 through early July, Schultz will bicycle from California to New
Hampshire stopping along the way to perform concerts featuring
music from his acclaimed, best-selling album, Broken &
Beautiful (Word Records). Everybody’s peddling something, but
Schultz says, “My wheels are turning to actually get somewhere.?
And that destination is his cause, helping orphans and widows.
Schultz’s inspiration to make this 3,500-mile trek came from a
visit he and his wife, Kate, made to orphanages in Mexico. In the
spring of 2006, they went on a mission trip with The James Fund, a
non-profit organization founded by Family Christian Stores, to meet
the needs of orphans and widows in distress. Schultz’s own adoption
drew him to explore this ministry. Seeing firsthand the harsh
realities for many orphans and realizing that he could have easily
been one of the boys in the orphanage, he wanted to make a
difference. “I went to visit some orphanages last spring and hang
out with the kids, and I thought, how can I raise money for these
kids?? says Mark Schultz helps a young orphaned girl during lunch
in Mexico. Schultz. “It seemed like nobody in the music business
had ever done a tour where they rode their bike across the country
and did concerts. I thought, that sounds impossible, lets do that!?
Riding his bike alone across the country, Schultz says he sees it
as a team endeavor with all the sponsors who have come alongside
him and The James Fund, including the Christian adoption and family
services agency, Bethany Christian Services (bethany.org), as well
as Trek Bikes (trekbikes.com), Epiphone Guitars (epiphone.com), AB
Bike Company (abbike.com), Family Christian Stores
(familychristian.com), Regal Boats (www.regalboats.com), Gospel
Music Association (gospelmusic.org), Buffini & Company
(buffiniandcompany.com), Stuph Merchandising (stuphmerch.com) and
more. Fans can further support the cause by signing up to sponsor
Schultz’s bike ride at www.markacrossamerica.org. The website will
also track Schultz’s progress on the tour, list concerts and
special events, feature a photo gallery and more. “The exciting
thing for me is that on this bike tour, even though I’m riding my
bike alone across the country, so many sponsors have come along
side to help make this thing happen. I really feel that it is a
team event because without them, I wouldn’t be able to do this.?
Steve Biondo, president of The James Fund says, “The James Fund is
honored to have Mark Schultz join us as an advocate for the
fatherless and the widow. Mark’s heart is like ours in that we
desire to touch the lives of orphans and widows. Together we want
to bring the news of Jesus Christ to these dear ones wherever we
come in contact with them. We want to give them care for today and
hope for eternity. This is the Father’s heart for the fatherless
and widows and it is the passion Family Christian Stores
Foundation, The James Fund, shares with Mark.? Schultz finds his
motivation for training for the bike tour from his wife’s
encouragement and knowing that she completed a similar bike ride
across America, and especially as he thinks about the orphans and
the hopelessness he saw in their faces. He says that doing this
tour to raise the money to support them makes it all worth it. “Not
only am I excited about this, but this may be what I’m meant to
do.? The Across America Bike Ride follows Schultz’s recent trip to
Washington, D.C. where he was a featured performer at the Angels In
Adoption Gala and shared the stage with Darryl “D.M.C? McDaniels,
Representative Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Idaho Senator Larry
Craig, and other distinguished guests and elected officials. During
the gala, Schultz performed “Everything To Me,? which is the story
of his own adoption. Schultz will perform the song during concert
stops along the bike ride. The song is also featured on his Sept.
26, 2006 release and fifth career project, Broken & Beautiful,
which debuted in the Top 5 on SoundScan’s Christian and Top 10 on
the general market retail charts, marking the strongest street week
of his career. After the 2005 release, Mark Schultz Live…A Night of
Stories & Songs, sold Platinum and garnered Schultz his first
GMA Dove award, Broken & Beautiful became one of the most
highly anticipated albums of the year. With his thought provoking
lyrics and appealing music, Schultz’s latest effort is being
heralded as his “career? album. The title track is the first
multi-format hit single and No. 1 inspirational song from the
album. Lauded at No. 1 on Billboard’s “Hot Christian Adult
Contemporary Songwriters? list and with eight No. 1 hits, Schultz
has been honored with a 2005 Dove Award, was the centerpiece of the
U.S. Army campaign “Letters From War,? was named Christian Music
Today’s Male Vocalist in 2003, and was featured on the national
magazine program, “48 Hours.? For additional information on Mark
Schultz, visit www.markacrossamerica.org,
"http://www.markschultzmusic.com">www.markschultzmusic.com or
"http://www.wordlabelgroup.com.">www.wordlabelgroup.com.
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