John Merrow, a retired PBS broadcaster living on Martha’s Vineyard, announced in an email he completed his 11th “bike my age” cycling ride for his 81st birthday. By the end of the ride, his odometer showed exactly 81 miles. According to Merrow’s blog, the Merrow Report, the cycling had to be delayed because he tested positive for COVID on his birthday.
Merrow began this tradition of biking his age in miles starting on his 70th birthday.
In the email, Merrow made a pitch to people: “if you think it’s worth $810, or $81, or even $8,100, please donate to the Island Housing Trust, an essential organization dedicated to creating affordable housing for the people who keep Martha’s Vineyard running.” He made a similar pitch last year to raise money for IHT, or another nonprofit of a donor’s choice, in a fundraiser he named “My sore butt for your big bucks!” that raised thousands of dollars.
Initially, Merrow connected the “bike my age” fundraiser to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit working to feed the people of war-torn Ukraine. He made the appeal to Islanders he knew to donate to IHT after completing the cycling route because of how important housing is to the Island.
“Martha’s Vineyard residents support dozens and dozens of worthwhile nonprofit organizations that assist thousands of Islanders with challenges. However, attainable housing is foundational. Without affordable, achievable housing for our teachers, healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers, and those who work in town offices or local stores, the Martha’s Vineyard we love will disappear, and this Island will become the exclusive domain of the mega-rich, who would bring their servants with them whenever they got bored with their other homes and yachts,” Merrow said in the email.
Merrow said in the email Islanders who are paying attention will already know Martha’s Vineyard is experiencing a housing crisis, particularly from the fact so many businesses have “help wanted” signs up, while “quite a few places are either shutting down completely or drastically curtailing their offerings” due to the lack of workers.
“Businesses cannot find workers because workers cannot find places to live,” Merrow said in the email.
Merrow told The Times that he promotes nonprofits people can donate to so he can add meaning to his “trivial pursuit.”
“If it raises a few bucks, that’s good,” he said. “The logic is every little bit helps.”
To donate to Island Housing Trust, visit its donation page at ihtmv.org/donate. To donate to World Central Kitchen, visit its donation page at bit.ly/3bCGPuK.