Pedaling with a Purpose
Posted on February 9, 2026
On September 10th 2025, Patrick Murphy set out on the journey of a lifetime. Over the course of 28 days, Patrick travelled by bicycle from San Diego, CA all the way to Tybee Island, GA. Averaging 105 miles per day, this was a major life achievement for Patrick. But he took on this challenge for more than himself. Through local sponsors and supporters, Patrick used this ride across the country as an avenue to raise $45,000 for Marion Medical Mission and Kids’ Chance of Michigan. Every mile made a difference.
Patrick has become a close friend to our Entech Medical Staffing family, as he is a board member for Kids’ Chance of Michigan, as is our very own Sandi Passeno. We are the proud Diamond Sponsor of Kids’ Chance, as we believe deeply in their mission to provide scholarships to children who’s parents were killed or catastrophically injured in a workplace accident. Us and the rest of our Kids’ Chance family were over the moon tracking Patrick’s progress as he took on the impossible to support our cause. We had the chance to sit with Patrick and hear more about his journey.
Q: What made you want to take on this incredible challenge?
A: Honestly I’ve been planning this my whole life. I’ve always been passionate about biking. When I was younger I had the time, but not the resources. As you get older, that flips. I have a support system. So I knew I had to incorporate supporting these nonprofits as part of my goal.
Q: Tell us more about the charities you chose and why.
A: I’ve been on the board of Kids’ Chance for 10 years. I was drawn to them because of the work that I do, and actually because of Sandi. She introduced me to the organization. It’s been a great opportunity to give back to my industry.
I started supporting Marion Medical Mission because of my church. They provide clean drinking water for people in rural Africa by building wells. Thanks to the ride we were able to build 66 wells. It really is incredible. It helps people in so many ways. Not only giving them water but giving them opportunities. You can’t make money when you are walking miles to get fresh water. These wells will change that.
Q: An experience like the ride has to come with a lot of highs and lows. What were they for you?
A: Oh man, there were highs and lows every day. The very first day we climbed 8,000 feet, so I felt like I wrecked my knee. That made me hit a mental low. I just kept thinking, how am I gonna go another 27 days? There were other moments like that that were difficult. But I had so much support. I would get texts when I was climbing these mountains, people telling me “You got this!”. I had a website where you could see the exact location I was riding from, so I had people following along with me. That was great motivation. With that many people cheering me on, I was never not going to finish.
For highs, it doesn’t get much better than flying down the mountain. The sunshine, the beauty of our country, knowing I had so much support at home. It was very much a high. I met people on the ride that will be lifelong friends.
Q: Riding for a month straight gives you a lot of time to think. What was on your mind?
A: When I ride it is an awesome opportunity for me to meditate. It makes you think in the moment. You have to stay focused. I thought a lot about my family and friends at home. A lot of the people in Africa. A lot about the kids in Kids’ Chance. Then there were times I was just listening to good music, having the sunshine right on me. There’s nothing better. It was a natural high. My mind never went to considering not finishing. I’ve probably ridden 150,000 miles on my bike in my lifetime. I’ve never been the fastest, but I can go for a long time.
Patrick’s story is an inspiration to us all. A reminder that those ideas we came up with as kids, they still can come true. You just have to put your mind to it. And when you combine that ambition with a community that wants to make the world a better place, you can really make an impact on the world. Congratulations Patrick on completing this lifelong goal, and for helping two very important charities at the same time.
The opportunity to donate is still live. If you were moved by Patrick’s story and would like to support these amazing nonprofits, go to www.patrickpedals.com.
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