Volunteer Community at the Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

The 2023 ALC Ride was a true blessing.  Throughout, we had so much support from the AIDS/Lifecycle organization, our North Bay Positive Pedalers training group and Training Ride Leaders (including Jerry Huffaker and Mathew Duran!), and the CSLSR Community.  Thank you, CSLSR, for all of your support!  This was my third ride, and it was the best so far.  It’s an obvious physical challenge, as well as a mental one.  But, additionally, it’s a spectacular journey where you can lose yourself to the glory of the beautiful, engaged, and hopeful ALC community.  I was not a cyclist before joining ALC in 2018 - if you have any desire to join, we welcome you!  Thank you, CSLSR, for all of your many gifts. CSLSR AIDS/LifeCycle Team Volunteer

The Ride, for me, has been a multilayered experience. Initially, I was overwhelmed as I came to understand the enormity of the process: the thousands of people who have lost loved ones, many of them standing along the streets of their community holding “Thank You” signs and pictures of their lost sons, brothers, lovers, and friends; the millions of dollars raised to keep the San Francisco and LA clinics serving the community; the rare and welcome feeling to be surrounded by kindness and acceptance instead of constantly fearing rejection, hate, and violence. This was big stuff. Eventually, I came to understand that each rider represented hundreds of people who had put them there. For our team, all the people at the Center who supported the bake sales and otherwise donated help and funding, the bakeries, and all the employees who sent baked goods our way. Family members, friends, and co-workers all represented by that one bike rider. We were all out there. The riders are simply the publ

 Tracey Heuer - CSLSR Cycle Team Volunteer The ALC ride was a remarkable experience. I’m so grateful for the loving support I received and the many generous donations!! I’m proud to be a part of such a worthy cause. 💗🙏 What a remarkable gift of time, service, and love.  Thank you CSLSR AIDS/LifeCycle team.

  I appreciate being a Practitioner because it gives me the opportunity to see the Divine in the people. I pray with after service on Sundays and in the county jail each week.  It is a privilege to listen to people describe the conditions in their lives and share with them what I know to be true about the love and goodness that is the Divine. Susan Bennett

  I like being a CSL Practitioner because it allows me to help others in a variety of ways:  after service SMTs, visiting inmates as part of the Jail Ministry Team, facilitating a book study class.  It also helps me to go deeper into my practice by being with other Practitioners.