Like many of us weekend warriors, Boulder-based adventurers Ron Grace and Mark Levesque get out on their mountain bikes, kayaks and motorcycles as often as they can to explore the beautiful and remote countryside we get to call home in the Rocky Mountains and American West. But that twinge of discomfort that strikes all of us as we ride through rural and poverty stricken communities along the way with our fancy and expensive toys pushed Ron over the edge. Looking back he recalls: “I began to notice that woven throughout the beautiful rock formations, the rivers and the deserts was a lot of poverty and a lot of people struggling to get by. I since have travelled back there several times and each time I wondered what could be done.”
Ron and Mark started to pack various donations along with them as they continued to adventure and visit the places they loved. Word got out among their friends and the donations piled up to two truck loads that were delivered to a small community on the Navajo reservation. Recognizing a good thing, they started the charity organization Lost For A Reason (LFAR) and have expanded their work to include funding a women’s shelter, supplying food banks and supporting a kids’ soccer program. Because Ron and Mark are contractors they’ve donated their time and skills to build additions onto homes.
Along with the work mentioned above they have raised over $17,000 since they started this project only seven months ago. Looking ahead they plan to continue their focus on the Navajo reservation and are planning fund-raising mountain bike rides and trail-running events in Colorado, California and Arizona. There’s even talk of connecting with an Australian charity.
