Platinum selling, award-winning Word Records recording artist, Mark Schultz, began his Across America bike ride May 7th to raise supportfor orphans and widows. Having biked 1,287 miles and raised over US$75,000 so far, Schultz also plans to make a special appearance June 8th with The Kansas Children’s Service League (the League) to help bring awareness to the more than 900 children in Kansas that are currently in foster care waiting to be adopted. This is also the same agency from where Schultz was adopted.

Based in Wichita, KS, the League noticed that Schultz’s benefit bike ride is coming through their area and invited him to appear at its Klicks for Kids Exhibit, a photo exhibit of 67 Kansas children that are currently waiting to be adopted. The exhibit is being held in Meadowbrook Mall in Pittsburg, KS.

“This was something that I immediately knew I needed to do,” says Schultz. “If it wasn’t for the caring people at this amazing organization, I don’t know where I would be today. May is National Foster Care Month, and I want to encourage family’s to consider making a lifetime of difference for the most vulnerable in our communities, the young lives of children.”

“We are excited to have Mark visit our exhibit,” says Christy Barton, East Region Community Relations Coordinator, Kansas Children’s Service League. “Mark’s life is a testament to the positive impact a forever family can have on a child. His appearance will help raise awareness of the hundreds of children in Kansas foster care awaiting adoption.”

The Kansas Children’s Service League (the League) is a statewide not-for-profit agency with over 100 years of experience protecting children and strengthening families in Kansas. The League serves over 40,000 children and their families each year through a variety of community based and child abuse prevention programs, Head Start and Early Head Start services, agency infant adoption, adoption services through its contract with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and foster home services. The League’s mission is to protect and promote the well-being of children.

Schultz greets a fan in front of the tour bus

On his way from California to New Hampshire, Schultz is posting daily video blogs documenting his journey, as well as completing a daily 60-second update from the road that is being offered to radio stations across the country through Westar Media Group. To date, 69 stations are using the updates to inform their listeners.

Schultz is also stopping along the way to perform concerts featuring music from his acclaimed, best-selling album, Broken & Beautiful. More information about the Across America ride, including tour dates, how to sponsor Mark, video blog updates, and Mark’s progress can be found at www.MarkAcrossAmerica.org.

Schultz stops at “Standin’ on a Corner Park” in Winslow, AZ, a spot made famous by the Eagles song “Take It Easy” which features the line, “Well, I’m standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona”

Schultz’s inspiration to make this 3,500 mile ride came from a visit he and his wife, Kate, made to orphanages in Mexico. In the spring of 2006, they went on a mission trip with a non-profit organization, The James Fund, to meet the needs of orphans and widows in distress. Schultz’s own adoption drew him to explore this ministry. Seeing first hand the harsh realities for many orphans and realizing that he could have easily been one of the boys in the orphanage, he wanted to make a difference.

Schultz’s fifth career project, Broken & Beautiful, which released last fall and debuted in the Top 5 on SoundScan’s Christian and Top 10 on the general market retail charts, marked the strongest street week of his career. After the 2005 release, Mark Schultz Live: A Night of Stories & Songs, sold Platinum and garnered Schultz his first GMA Dove award, Broken & Beautiful became one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. With his thought provoking lyrics and appealing music, Schultz’s latest effort is being heralded as his “career” album. The title track is the first multi-format hit single and No. 1 inspirational song from the album.

Broken And Beautiful is currently available at Christian retailers aross Canada. For more information on Schultz, visit his YMZ artist page.

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