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Gleason wraps up EXPEDITIION NUTRITION with a police escort of officers from Summerville, Charleston, and Charleston County |
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GLEASON WELCOMED HOME AS HE ARRIVES AT THE ISLE OF PALMS
ISLE OF PALMS, SC….Nationally recognized bicyclist Alex D. Gleason, a 20 year-old Erskine College junior from Calhoun Falls, arrived at the Isle of Palms County Park on Friday afternoon, August 12, surrounded by a police escort of motorcycles and autos which had accompanied him from Summerville throughout the day.
Gleason, joined by family, friends, FFA members, agricultural educators, Erskine College students, political leaders, sponsors and news media representatives, walked to the near-by beach where he dipped the wheel of his bicycle in the Atlantic Ocean as he had done previously in the Pacific Ocean on June 22 when he launched EXPEDITION NUTRITION from Olympia, Washington.
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Jerry Bishop, Regional Vice President of AgSouth Farm Credit in Summerville and coordinator of the Welcome Home Event welcomed Gleason. |
Alex was officially welcomed by Isle of Palms Mayor Michael Sottile |
Isle of Palms Mayor Michael Sottile officially welcomed Gleason at the WELCOME HOME CEREMONY. Addressing a large crowd, the mayor said “Alex is making a good statement to young people by promoting a better life style. It is a wonderful cause”, he emphasized.
The coast-to-coast trip of approximately 4000 miles took him through Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina.
By peddling across the nation, Gleason, a former state FFA officer, sought to promote the importance of agriculture, the urgency of proper nutrition and the need for a healthy life style for all Americans. Among the groups he addressed included state career and technology officials in Nashville, Tennessee.
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| Gleason was interviewed by several television stations on arrival at Isle of Palms. |
News media interviews included TV, local and multi-state radio talk shows, local and regional newspapers, agricultural magazines and the National FFA magazine. As Gleason ended his trip across South Carolina, he was interviewed by six TV stations and other media outlets, which included front page coverage in some newspapers.
Congressman Henry Brown’s staff delivered a Certificate of Accomplishment which was presented to Gleason during the WELCOME HOME CEREMONY. A staff member representing US Senator Lindsey Graham was on hand to welcome and congratulate him along with a representative of Charleston Mayor Joe Riley’s Office.
State Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers who biked with Gleason from Summerville to the Isle of Palms said, “he has brought valuable recognition of South Carolina as he promoted public awareness of the importance of proper nutrition and exercise.”
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S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers biked with Gleason from Summerville, S.C. |
J. Kenneth Rentiers, State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency, congratulates Gleason on the completion of his journey. |
John W. Parris, State Director of Public Affairs with the SC FFA Association, who coordinated the fund raising efforts for the nationwide trip and assisted Gleason every step of the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, presented him an expense-paid trip to the 2005 National FFA Convention in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments.
Parris said, “Gleason has achieved more national recognition for South Carolina’s FFA program than any member in the 78 year history of the organization. He reached millions of Americans through the broadcast and print media as he crossed the continent." Gleason will be awarded the American FFA Degree at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, in October. This is the highest award available to an FFA member at the national level.
In a message to Gleason at the ceremony, Dr. Larry Case, National FFA Advisor, Washington, SC, said, “On behalf of the National FFA Organization and nearly half a million FFA members nationwide, I extend our heartfelt congratulations as you complete your coast-to-coast journey promoting Expedition Nutrition. We are proud that you are an active FFA member and see how nutrition is part of the agricultural science classroom experience. You are truly a special young man who has shown fortitude and focus.”
Jerry Bishop, Regional Vice President of AgSouth Farm Credit in Summerville, coordinated the Welcome Home Event which was sponsored by AgSouth and Coburg Dairies. Miriam Pflug, AgSouth’s Director of Public Affairs, arranged for AgSouth to provide funds to purchase the bicycle Gleason used for his trip.
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Director of Public Relations with the State Department of Agriculture, Becky Walton, assisted Gleason with the media coverage of his trip. |
Becky Walton, Director of Public Relations with the State Department of Agriculture, played a major role in the successful media coverage across the nation by involving her counterparts in the states visited by Gleason. She was also successful in contacting the South Carolina news media.
UDSA Farm Service Agency official Wesley Harris of Columbia made numerous contacts with other state offices to arrange for Gleason’s lodging along the 4000 mile trip.
Gleason plans to write a book on his experiences based on information recorded in a detailed journal he kept along the way. “Expedition Nutrition is my attempt to make a positive difference in the lives of others”, he said. “ America leads the world in the production of quality food. Why don’t we teach people to eat healthy?” he asked. He is recommending the expansion of food science and nutrition courses in the agricultural education curriculum in secondary schools across the nation.
He is the son of Terry and Sherrie Gleason and his FFA advisor is Calvert Sherard, Agricultural Education Teacher at Calhoun Falls High School.
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Members of the Aiken FFA Chapter greet Gleason on his arrival home. |
Mrs. Mary Kolb, Jaime Faircloth, President of the Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence FFA Chapter, Alex Gleason and Jack Kolb, Agricultural Education Teacher and FFA Advisor at the Academy, Ridgeland, SC. Mr. Kolb gave the Invocation for the Welcome Home Ceremony. |
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| John W. Parris, State Director of Public Affairs for the SC FFA Association, presented Gleason with an all-expense paid trip to the 2005 National FFA Convention. | Alex with his parents, Terry and Sherrie Gleason. |
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Gleason dips his bicycle tire into the Atlantic Ocean as a photographer from Charleston's Post and Courier captures the moment. |
Calhoun Falls FFA Advisor, Calvert Sherard (left) and State FFA Vice President, Michael Burdette (right) greet Gleason. |
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Tim Keown (left) and Dr. Phillip Fravel (right) greet Gleason. Fravel and Keown are instructors in Clemson University's Department of Agricultural Education. |
Alex cuts the cake at his Welcome Home ceremony, sponsored by AgSouth Farm Credit and Coburg Dairies. |
