Community Corner

Council Eyes Honor for Berkeley Lad, 12, Who Biked 1,851 Miles for Climate

The Berkeley City Council agenda for Tuesday night includes a proclamation honoring 12-year-old resident Zeke Gerwein who rode 1,851 miles by bike from the Mexico border to Seattle to raise funds for climate work by the Sierra Club.

It's not unusual for the Berkeley City Council to salute city residents for outstanding contributions, but few of the honorees are as young as 12-year-old Zeke Gerwein.

Nor are the accomplishments as extraordinary as his using his summer vacation for a 45-day, 1,851-mile bike ride from the Mexican border to Seattle to help the Earth's climate.

The council agenda on Tuesday includes a proclamation proposed by Councilman Kriss Worthington praising "Zeke's Climate Ride" and the boy's "initiative in helping create lasting positive change."

Zeke successfully raised more than $2,000 in donations for the climate work of the Bay Area Chapter of the Sierra Club, the club says on its website.

Instead of receiving bar-mitzvah gifts, he asked friends and relatives to make donations.

"I am riding to raise money for the Sierra Club," he says matter of factly in first entry of his on-line "Headwinds 'R' Us" diary of the trip. 

He rode accompanied by adults on the way, beginning on June 16 with Jonnie Farmer on the San Diego side of the fence at the Mexican border. (See accompanying photo.)

The diary includes many photos from the journey as well as sundry episodes, like the encounter with a waitress named Sandy in La Jolla:

"We reached Brockton Villa around 8, starving, having gotten lost just before it," the diary entry for June 17 says. "We ordered the Coast Toast, which was pretty good. I saved half of it which turned out to be a good idea later. The waitress, Sandy was very supportive about our ride and even payed for the Coast Toast!" 

Worthington's proposed resolution is accompanied by background material that includes a quote from a letter Zeke wrote to relatives:

“I feel I should do everything I can to reduce the threats to many plant and animal species who will suffer from global warming.” 


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