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Gonzaga professor to bike over 400 miles in support of refugee resettlement

"They [refugees in Spokane] contribute a tremendous amount to our economy and our culture."

Megan Carroll

Published: 3:22 PM PDT April 22, 2018
Updated: 3:31 PM PDT April 22, 2018

A Gonzaga University professor is raising money for a cause close to his heart through his passion for cycling.

Scott Starbuck is a lecturer of religious studies at Gonzaga. This year, the department focused on the refugee crisis and migration from a theological standpoint.

Through Gonzaga’s efforts, he said he realized the “tremendous amount of misinformation” surrounding refugee resettlement.

Starbuck decided to join five other cyclists from Spokane for World Relief’s Ride for Refugee Resiliency this year to spread awareness about these issues. On top of his teaching job, he also serves as a pastor at Manito Presbyterian Church, faculty sponsor of Gonzaga’s cycling team and a member of the Baddlands Cycling Club in Spokane.

“Personally, I can bring what I know in terms of cycling as support…but at the same time learn from others, and not only engage with the other cyclists but look for opportunities to begin to use this as a tool to raise awareness and correct misperceptions,” Starbuck said.

The cyclists will ride more than 400 miles across Washington state to raise money for refugees arriving in World Relief’s three Washington regions: Seattle, Tri-Cities and Spokane. Each cyclist raises $1,850, which is tripled by a government match and used to provide housing assistance, transportation, English language classes, job skills training and more for refugees, according to World Relief’s website. The registration cost was $360.

Credit: KREM
Photo courtesy of World Relief

Goodwin said most refugees that come to the U.S. are put in a three-month, government-funded program. World Relief’s match grant program extends this to six month to help refugees pay for rent and necessities, and allow them to get back on their foot and into the work force.

The ride begins on June 20 at World Relief’s office in Kent, Washington, and ends in Spokane on June 24.

Credit: KREM
Photo courtesy of World Relief

Starbuck said he is concerned about “rampant misinformation about refugee resettlement and emerging callousness to refugees’ plight.” As a Christian, he recognizes the Hebrew Bible was “compiled out of a refugee context and that Jesus…became a refugee at birth,” and that the Christian church would seek to exist without the welcome and support of refugees, he said.

“They [refugees in Spokane] contribute a tremendous amount to our economy and our culture. I have met people who are refugees throughout the world and they are the most excited people to be American,” Starbuck added. “The more people get involved, the more they’ll see that this is an incredible gift.”

Goodwin echoed this sentiment.

“I think the people who I meet in our office every day are incredible, and resilient and kind…They’re the kind of people anyone would want in their schools…they would want them in their church, in their work places,” he said.

“You can never have too many good people…The folks I meet are incredible people who benefit us just by being here and being able to participate in the community,” Goodwin continued.

In the 2016 fiscal year, over 600 refugees came to Spokane. The city has seen 10,000 refugees over the past 25 years.

Starbuck hopes his efforts will begin a tradition at Gonzaga and break down walls throughout the Spokane community. He has also reached out to other local schools, including Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University and Spokane Falls Community College, that could participate in next year's ride.

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