Maui Woman ‘Cycling to the Sun’ for Charity

One Maui woman will participate in the annual Cycle to the Sun race on Saturday, June 24, to raise funds for a special children’s charity. The race, considered one of the most difficult bike climbs in the world, is 36 miles up 10,023 feet to Haleakalā’s summit.

In her first bike race, Lisa Gallant of Paia will race 36 miles up to Haleakala’s summit with all donations she receives going to the charity Sanctuary for Kids. PC: Lisa Gallant

Lisa Gallant of Pā’ia will be racing for the charity Sanctuary for Kids. Her goal is to raise $3,600, one-hundred dollars for each mile, with all the money she raises going directly to the charity. As of June 1, 2017, she has raised $1,200.

Originally from New Hampshire, Gallant is a lifelong athlete and endurance competitor. Only recently has she started cycling and the “Cycle to the Sun” will be her first race.

“In the spirit of stepping up I have chosen to challenge myself to do something I never thought possible; each mile I race, each dollar we raise together, will go farther and impact more children because of the network Sanctuary for Kids has worked so tirelessly to establish,” Gallant said.

Gallant says that Sanctuary for Kids provides support and services for youth housing programs, homes for orphaned and abandoned children, educational support for children and youths, and rehabilitation services for victims of sex-trafficking, abuse, and child labor.

“Through their hard work and effort, they have created a network that can positively improve the lives of so many children. Having been inspired by this organization and the lives of the children it has impacted, I wanted to challenge myself to do something harder than I have ever done and I want to put those efforts towards inspiring others and raising money to help Sanctuary for Kids continue their good work,” she added.

In the past, Gallant has volunteered and has had the opportunity to work directly and indirectly with children and their families in challenging and difficult situations both in the US and abroad. “Because of those experiences, I have come to understand how vulnerable children and youths are when their foundation is ripped out from under them. When that happens, it becomes necessary for someone to step up and become their advocates,” she said.

On her fundraising page, Gallant has kept a blog of her cycle training journey. On May 29, Gallant wrote that she finally broke through the 25 mile ascent and into the cloud line. She wrote, ‘I’ve never experience something so ethereal and frightening. The clouds, as if by magic, appeared spiraling and rolling, closing off any visual I might have had in front, to the side, or behind. In that moment, I realized that if I want to reach for the sun, I have no choice but to ascend through the clouds. Like with many moments in life, you can know your goal, but you don’t always know how far away it is. Sometimes you can only see a few feet in front of you. But if you persist, if you keep going, if you trust the path you are on, you can make it.’

Gallant is still seeking donations for her goal and says all contributions are welcome. “Mahalo to you all for taking the time to learn about this organization and for your support, in whatever form that may be,” she said.

To help fund Lisa on her journey click here.

To learn more about the work that Sanctuary for Kids does, click here.