Lancaster County native Andy Baldwin, the U.S. Navy doctor and triathlete of “The Bachelor” reality show fame begins a cross-state Health Ride in Pittsburgh Friday. The 420-mile tour includes stops at elementary schools where Baldwin and other participants will promote exercise and a health diet. The tour comes to Lancaster County next Thursday, with presentations at Park Elementary in Columbia. Accompanying Baldwin will the U.S. surgeon general, the state Health secretary and Baldwin’s father, former state Rep. Roy Baldwin.
Below is the article from Thursday’s Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era:
‘Bachelor’ and triathlete bikes across state
to raise awareness regarding childhood obesity
BY CLAUDIA W. ESBENSHADE
Staff Writer
Some people will do almost anything to get others to pay attention to their cause. U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Andy Baldwin, of 2007 “The Bachelor” fame, is one of those people.
Tomorrow he’ll kick off a 420-mile bike ride across Pennsylvania to raise awareness of the health risks associated with childhood obesity.
Baldwin, a physician, is hoping to inspire the children across the state to get moving and start exercising because, according to the state’s department of health, at least 20 percent of Pennsylvania children are overweight.
Baldwin, a 1995 Manheim Township High School graduate and son of Roy and Cindy Baldwin of Lancaster, is a triathlete. He’s taking part in The Pennsylvania Health Ride and Kids Fitness Days because “children are the untapped potential in today’s world,” he said.
“It gives me energy,” 32-year-old Baldwin said. “When I see them smile and respond to what I am trying to teach them, it makes it all worth it.
“With the right spark and the right mentorship, you can see these children grow,” Baldwin said. “So many can putt, putt through life and they don’t have that spark anymore. With the right connection, they can have such better lives.”
Baldwin believes role models will make it happen. “There needs to be more action and less finger-pointing,” Baldwin said, during a recent phone interview from his now-home Washington, D.C. “We need people to walk the walk or, in this case, bike the bike.”
What began as Baldwin’s dream to ride bike across the country has transformed into a statewide ride in which others can participate, en route or at various stops.
The ride starts in Pittsburgh and will include events at various schools along the way. These schools will host health fairs featuring the ride participants. It will end in Philadelphia Saturday, Oct. 10.
Baldwin’s local stop will be at Park Elementary School in Columbia on Thursday, Oct. 8. Working closely with the Lighten Up Lancaster initiative and the NRG group, Baldwin is looking forward to sharing the road with fellow riders, including acting Rear Admiral and U.S. Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, and Everette James, the state’s secretary of health. Also riding with his father, Roy, who last year underwent several heart surgeries.
Baldwin is excited to return home and travel the roads where he grew up. “My dad is who taught me to ride,” Baldwin said. “I can remember buying my first 10-speed at Sears at Park City when I was 10 or 11.”
“He was my mentor growing up, setting the example of stewardship and giving back,” Baldwin said.
As a swimmer in high school, Baldwin was active and fit; however, he does not see that in children today.
“A lot of kids don’t have those good role models,” Baldwin said. “They need (to be) motivated and empowered. Today’s lifestyles do not help people, or children, to want to move and exercise,” Baldwin said. “With modernization, you have a lack of movement,” he said. “As we were growing up, you go out and play. That play mentality has gone away. Everyone is so busy — even the parents.”
Sitting down to healthy family dinners has taken the backseat to drive-through restaurants, parks are not being taken care of and the government needs to evaluate the kinds of foods it subsidizes for low-income families, Baldwin added.
These are the reasons why Baldwin puts himself out there, including agreeing to appear on the reality dating show in 2007, he said.
“I crafted it to be something that could give exposure to those things that are near and dear to me — the Navy, children and health issues,” Baldwin said. “It was a huge learning experience also.
“I have definitely learned the positives and negatives of notoriety,” Baldwin said. “Working in the public eye can be mishandled, or you can flip it. It’s almost a travesty if you don’t use that to do good.”
Although no permanent romantic connection was made, Baldwin said he does keep in touch with many of the women from the show and many of them “are doing well,” including the one he selected, Tessa Horst.
“We stay in touch and she just called to welcome me home from my most recent deployment,” Baldwin said. “We have stayed friends.”
Baldwin would not comment on any present-day romances and just said that his “private life is private.”
Since the show, Baldwin has been focusing on helping children. In addition to being involved with the Boys and Girls Club, Special Olympics and Best Buddies, he is founder of the Got Your Back Network, a nonprofit organization that raises money to support families of fallen soldiers. There is also an annual Andy Baldwin Youth Fitness Day held in October in Hawaii.
Working with his organization is very rewarding for Baldwin. “To see those children smile and grow and come out of such a sad, sad place… it’s very rewarding,” Baldwin said. “It has become less and less about ‘The Bachelor’ and so much more about the work that I am doing,” he said.
To learn more about the Pennsylvania Health Ride and Kids Fitness Days, log on to www.healthride.org.
To meet up and ride with Andy Baldwin during the local leg of the ride, contact Roy Baldwin at rebaldwin1@verizon.net or 305-0159.
