PORT ORCHARD — Do what you like to fight what you hate.
That’s the rallying cry for New Life Church’s Freedom February, a month where the youth members work together to raise money for a good cause. Specifically, to fight human trafficking.
“They took on raising money last year for … women and children, to get them out of human trafficking,” said Jeff Kramer, “and the after-care of those women and children who get … brought back to the community.”
Kramer, a New Life Church South Campus member, said as he sat listening to the sermon, he had an idea for Freedom February. So he turned to his daughter Sarah and began to plan.
“There’s tons of different things the youth are doing,” he said. “I talked to my daughter, said, ‘Maybe we can do a motorcycle ride.’
“It basically works off, ‘do what you like to fight what you hate,’ ” he added. “I love riding my bike.”
So Kramer is planning a motorcycle ride to help raise awareness and funds for Freedom February.
“We’re just going to get together this year and go on a pre-determined route, probably in the Western Peninsula,” Kramer said.
The ride will start at 10 a.m. Feb. 25 in the Adventure of Faith parking lot, 4705 Jackson Ave., in Port Orchard. The ride will cross Hood Canal, stop at the 101 Diner in Sequim, Washington, for lunch and, if the weather permits, will go around Hood Canal before eventually returning to Port Orchard.
He said he just wants to get a group of people together to ride, spend some time building fellowship, get some lunch somewhere and come back.
“If people would like to make a donation, they could,” he said. “If they just want to come out and ride, they can do that too.”
If unable to participate in the motorcycle ride, donations can be made to New Life Church directly by mailing a check to the New Life Church Silverdale, PO Box 3943, Silverdale, WA 98383, with “Freedom February” written in the memo line.
Not only is his daughter involved in New Life Church’s Freedom February, but his wife, Kristy, “has a soft spot for women in human trafficking” and helping them escape it.
The money raised from Freedom February will be donated to Rescue:Freedom International, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is a leading force in the rescue and restoration of survivors of human trafficking. According to the website, www.rescuefreedom.org, they “have partners in eight countries, which have touched the lives of over 37,000 women and children in the last 20 years.”
Kramer said he’s hoping for 10-15 people at least who can make it. Next year, he said, when he has more time to plan the event, he hopes it’ll be even bigger and include a raffle, various stops and more.
But this year, he’s “just hoping for a good day to get out and enjoy some of the Pacific Northwest.”
For more information about the event, contact Jeff Kramer at 360-643-1384. Learn more about New Life Church at www.newlife.tv. Learn more about Rescue:Freedom International at www.rescuefreedom.org.
Michelle Beahm is a reporter for the Kitsap News Group. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.