Brockport Firefighters were in for a surprise visit recently when Joerg Richter rode his bicycle into town as his cross-country journey brought him along the Erie Canal into the historic village of Brockport. Richter has ridden through over 30 states in the U.S., and 17 different countries in Europe in his quest to raise awareness and funds for “Care for Rare: America.”
Firefighter Richter served with the Kerpen Feuerwehr (FD) outside Colon, Germany, for many years before leaving the fire service and moving north of Munich, where he has lived for the last 34 years. In his personal efforts to support Care for Rare, he has ridden across the U.S. twice previously and has visited over 900 fire stations, spending the night at over 445 of them. He has been associated with Care for Rare for the last eight years after finding out a friend of his had a child suffering from a rare childhood disease. After visiting some of these children in hospitals, he said he learned one thing from them: “Don’t postpone your dreams.” When asked to describe his tour, his response was, “I am living my dreams.”
This year, his passage began in San Francisco where he arrived from Munich on March 14. He started his ride on March 22 and has been on the move since then. His plan is to continue to New York City to complete his expedition. He also plans a brief stopover in Monroe, Connecticut, where he will visit the family that hosted his son years ago as part of an Educational Exchange.
It was fortunate there were firefighters at the Brockport station when he arrived. His Brockport visit included tours of BFD Headquarters and the Brockport Fire Museum on Main Street where he met Mayor Margay Blackman and was able to see the 9/11 Memorial.
“Care for Rare: America” is a non-profit organization with centers in the U.S., Canada, and across Europe, dedicated to improving the lives of children with rare diseases. Care for Rare was founded 13 years ago in Munich with ties to the U.S. in Boston. According to their website, “The Care-for-Rare Alliance comprises a large network of physicians and scientists working at academic pediatric centers and science institutes to support the foundation’s mission: Treating children with rare diseases, discovering the causes of diseases, and developing new therapies.”
The Brockport Fire District wishes Joerg well in his travels and appreciates the time he spent with them.
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