An Auburn-based ministry is planning to cycle across Alabama and serve those in need along the way.

Alabama Rural Ministry is preparing to hold its 3rd Annual Cycle of Service, which will take its riders throughout the Black Belt, including a stop in Selma.

Lisa Pierce, executive director and founder of Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), said the fundraiser is aimed at repairing the homes of families and people who can’t repair them on their own.

“We’ve been in existence for 14 years and we were designed to provide opportunities for youth and young adults to serve, and the ways that we do that is begin to talk to some of the home help organizations, and (Alabama) Department of Human Resources to see if there were families that needed home repair assistance that would be either elderly or have a disability or are on a fixed income and couldn’t do that,” Pierce said. “So they helped us find those families and then we advertised to various churches throughout the Southeast and Midwest to come and spend a week with us, and we matched them up with a family that needs a wheelchair ramp or roof or some other type of minor or major repair.”

ARM’s goal is to register 18 cyclists for The Black Belt Tour and Family Fun Challenge rides that run from May 4-6.

“The first ride is designed for those who want to do what they call a ‘century ride’ the first day, which means they ride 100 miles,” Pierce said. “That group leaves from a site in Livingston, rides to the Alabama state line over at Cuba and then rides to Selma. Then the next day we all ride to Tuskegee, then we ride to Phenix City over to the Chattahoochee River.”