“Where’s Ray”  A Fundraising Campaign

June 10, 2009

RAY TARRACH TO TAKE ON ULTIMATE CHALLENGE
Many of us dream about seeing our great country and its splendors — from sea to shining sea — as closely as possible. Of really seeing this land, not by looking down on cloud tops from the window of a jetliner, or at the fleeting blur of varying landscape seen from a car traveling down the interstate highway. Of closely experiencing its glorious terrain and bracing breezes, and enjoying beautiful scenery along the way.

For Ray Tarrach, retired president of Chestertown Bank in Maryland, now PNC Bank, this dream is about to become a reality. He will be one of up to 50 cyclists participating in America by Bicycle’s Across America North Tour. His ride will begin in Astoria, Oregon on June 21 where he will dip the back wheel of his bike in the Pacific Ocean. He will finish the trip in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on August 10, by similarly dipping the front wheel of his bike in the Atlantic Ocean.

Mr. Tarrach is riding primarily to enjoy his hobby of long distance biking. In addition to meeting all expenses of the trip out of his own funds, he will use the occasion to help raise funds for Character Counts! Kent County. Ray believes in the importance of the work being done by the nearly 120 volunteer character coaches, in all of Kent County’s public schools, who are helping our school children to become good future citizens of our communities by teaching them about the six pillars of Character Counts!

Mr. Tarrach visited all of Kent’s elementary and middle schools, awing the students with his “very light” bike and the number of miles (3,639 miles) he plans to ride. For their part, the students have displayed a keen interest in his trip, and have participated in the Pennies With A Purpose campaign in their classrooms, a fundraiser that also aims to support Character Counts! Kent County.

Ray’s ride will take him across ten states and parts of Canada. Your family can follow Ray and cheer him on, throughout the summer, in the pages of the Kent County News, or online at cckentmd.org, charactercounts.org, kent.k12.md.us, and thekentcountynews.com. WCTR 1530 AM has plans to broadcast weekly updates of Ray’s progress on Wednesday mornings at 7:45a.m.

Character Counts! Kent County, an independent non-profit is the leading character education program in our local schools and community. The organization provides educational tools and support to community members who desire to make a difference in the lives of children in their schools and communities. This is an educational program with a curriculum that teaches values such as Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.

To donate please mail a check to:

Character Counts! Kent County
215 Washington Avenue
Chestertown, MD 21620

or for making an online donation go to cckentmd.org. For any additional information you can reach Mrs. Madhu Sidhu at 410-778-6684 or via kent.charactercounts@gmail.com or cckentmd.org.