Lighthouse Ride cyclists stop in Erie to share stories and raise support for Belizean students
By Allison Mosier08/04/2025
A small group is cycling across the United States this summer on a 3,500-mile journey from Maine to California to raise awareness and funds for Catholic schools in Belize. Called the Lighthouse Ride for Belize, the effort shines a light, quite literally, on the urgent and often overlooked needs of Belizean children who are attending school in buildings that are unsafe and in disrepair.
The cyclists began their journey on July 15 in Brunswick, Maine and are expected to arrive in Santa Monica, California on October 1. Along the way, they are stopping in cities and towns to share the stories of Belizean students and to invite others to support the mission of providing safe, dignified learning environments.
One of those stops took place on Friday, August 1 in Erie, where the riders were warmly welcomed by the local Catholic community.
Mercyhurst University was very glad to welcome the riders and support the important work of this initiative by hosting their one-night stay in Erie.
The team of riders arrived at the Mercyhurst campus on the afternoon of Friday, August 1, 2025. They celebrated Mass and had dinner at the residence of Jen and Greg Baker, along with Fr. Mark Nowak, priest of the Diocese of Erie. Greg is the vice president for mission and legal affairs at Mercyhurst University. The gathering offered time for prayer, reflection and personal connection.
“The group shared stories of the tremendous material needs of the school system in Belize as these students learn in conditions that Jen and I would never tolerate for our own children. As they cross the country, they begin each day with morning prayer and celebrate Mass each evening. They bring with them personal special intentions as well as the overall intention of creating safe and tolerable learning conditions for the children of Belize.”
Photos from the Erie visit show the team gathered after dinner. In the first picture (left to right): Greg Baker, Fr. Mark Nowak, Jen Baker, Fr. Matt Ruhl SJ, Tom Makarewicz, Mike Johnson and Jeff Chattin. In the second picture (left to right): Jeff Chattin, Fr. Matt Ruhl SJ, Mike Johnson and Tom Makarewicz. They were cleaned up for these photos. For images of the riders on the road, visit the Lighthouse Ride website or social media pages.
On a personal note, Fr. Matt Ruhl was Jen and Greg’s pastor when they served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Kansas City in 2002–2003.
The following day, August 2, the cyclists continued on their journey westward, carrying with them the prayers and support of those they met in Erie. As they ride across the country, they serve as witnesses to the resilience of Belizean children and the global call to support one another in faith and action.
To donate or follow their journey, visit www.lighthouseridebelize.org or follow them on social media at @belizelighthouseride. For donation instructions, go to lighthouseridebelize.org/important-donation-instructions.
Below are a few photos from their trip so far:
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