It’s spring training season and the Dream Team is gearing up for another RAGBRAI. The Des Moines-based and volunteer-run nonprofit prepares youth for the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa while also building resilience and life skills.
“Everybody thinks of our group as a cycling organization, but we're really a group that mentors young people,” said Scott Matter, director of Dream Team, speaking on River to River. “We have 65 youth on this year's team, ages 12 to 18, and what we're really about is helping them gain some self-confidence and prove to themselves and the rest of the world that they can do really hard things. And then we really try to teach them a process that they can then apply to accomplishing — being successful with — their other big dreams that they have in life.”
What we're really about is helping them gain some self-confidence and prove to themselves and the rest of the world that they can do really hard things.Scott Matter, director of the Dream Team
Matter and two Dream Team members traveled to New York City to appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show with guest host Andy Cohen to discuss the organization on national television.
“Seeing two young members of the Dream Team walk into that iconic entrance to 30 Rockefeller Center, the paparazzi were there waiting for them and clicking away as they entered,” Matter said. “They each had their own dressing room and green room before the show, and then just seeing them out on national TV, talking, shining a spotlight on our program, was pretty amazing.”
Jeremiah Wright, a Bondurant High School freshman, said although he knew over a million people would be watching, he chose to forget about it during the interview.
Wright rode across Iowa last summer and is now in his second year of the Dream Team program. As a returning member, he's mentoring the newcomers.
“He's one of the first kids to go up to the new members of the team and try to help them out, encourage them,” Matter said. “Those are skills that are going to serve him well for the rest of his life.”
Wright said seeing the sights of Iowa and meeting people along the ride were the highlights of his first RAGBRAI.
“We did a dunk tank. I went to an underground railroad house. I went to do[sic] tons of stuff.”
He shared his advice for first time riders.
“Just have fun with it. And just take every day and every mile, have fun,” Wright said.
Training with the Dream Team is a five-month commitment. Though some of the members have never ridden a bike before, Matter said by the time they get to RAGBRAI week, participants have already logged 1,000 to 1,500 miles.
“They've already overcome every challenge that they would face: heat, wind, hills, every challenge that you'd face during that week,” Matter said. “And so, it's really a celebration period.”
During the TV appearance, Matter said many of the kids involved with the program come from families that wouldn't have the opportunity to participate in RAGBRAI without nonprofit support. He emphasized the program's commitment to diversity and welcoming members of all background.
At the end of their appearance on Kelly Clarkson, the Dream Team was surprised by a $10,000 donation from Casey’s.
“It costs about just over $5,000 to get each of our youth through the program each year,” Matter said. “As I mentioned, we have 65 on this year's team, our largest ever. So that'll be really helpful to help us pay for getting more kids involved this year.”
Matter hopes the national exposure will inspire more people to get involved with the Dream Team, or even start new chapters in other parts of Iowa or the country.
To hear this conversation, listen to River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer. Caitlin Troutman produced this episode.
