Published: June 04, 2008 01:07 pm            

Pedal for petals

Laura Payne biking across Oklahoma to raise money for Botanical Garden

Saturday will be a busy day for Laura Payne.

In the morning, the volunteer and field resources coordinator for “Oklahoma Gardening” will be at GardenFest at Oklahoma State University’s Botanical Garden for the dedication of the new Horticulture Resource Center. The center is part of the OSU department of horticulture and landscape architecture and is intended to provide plant, landscape, insect and disease information for area residents.

As soon as possible, she’ll leave Stillwater for Marietta to ride her bike.

Payne is participating in Oklahoma FreeWheel 2008, which officially starts Sunday. On Saturday, though, if she has time, she said, she’ll make the optional ride to the Texas border and back to Marietta, a distance of about 30 miles.

On Sunday, she and the other riders – probably 800 to 1,000, she said – will begin their trek north to Kansas.

OBGA and the Horticulture Research Center will stay on her mind, though, even after she leaves GardenFest. Payne is riding to raise money for the Botanical Garden, the Horticulture Research Center and the OBGA Ambassador program.

Payne said she signed up for FreeWheel at the encouragement of a co-worker, Keith Reed, who rode in it last year.

“He thought it was something I would enjoy,” she said. “I thought I could do it and turn it into a fundraiser. Part of my job is to raise money.”

She’ll be riding between 40 and 70 miles a day, with most days exceeding 60 miles. She’s confident she can do it, though.

“It’s a challenge. I like a good challenge,” she said. “I may be crawling the last five or six days, but everybody has assured me if I can ride 20 miles and feel good about it, I’ll be OK.”

FreeWheel will hit Stillwater on Day 5, June 12, although riders won’t stop here. On that day, they’ll go through the city on their way from Drumright to Perry, where they’ll spend the night on the town square.

The ride will end in Caldwell, Kan., after riders spend their last night in Tonkawa. Payne is looking for donors.

“They can spend so much per mile or just a one-time flat donation,” she said. “The money goes for material and equipment for the research center, and we have an ambassador program.”

Jeneane Campbell has been helping Payne with her fundraising efforts. Pledges can be sent to her at 521 Ridgewood, Stillwater, 74074.

        

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