Pleasant Hill Man Riding Harley for a Good Cause

Gustavo Fernández taking his "hog" cross-country in support of children in need.

Put a passion for photography, traveling, and Harley Davidsons together and what do you get?

Pleasant Hill’s own Gustavo Fernández, a San Francisco-based wedding and portrait photographer, who starting this week, is embarking on a month-long cross country tour of the U.S. to help raise money and support for impoverished children in the Dominican Republic.

Fernández said last year he took the cross country trip for fun because he thought it was "a cool journey that had to be accomplished if you own a Harley." This year the trip has a deeper significance, as he has partnered with Children International to create his HOG for Kids project in an effort to help struggling children born into extreme poverty.

Having left San Francisco on Monday, Fernández will stop in 13 cities over the next 27 days to do photo shoots of friends' and clients' children (For a map of where he’s going, click here.) In exchange for the portraits, Fernandez is asking families to donate $264 to a child in the Domincan Republic—enough money to sponsor a child for a year through Children International, keeping them healthy, active, and involved in school.

After he gets back from his final stop in New York, he will begin the second part of the HOG For Kids project: a visit to the Dominican Republic. For two weeks, Fernandez will spend time with the newly sponsored children, capturing their experiences at home, in play, at school, and at work. Fernandez will publicize his photos on his Facebook and personal blog, and also hopes to publish his photos in local publications.

While the trip offers a break from the daily grind and an opportunity for an adventure, Fernández’s says his real hope for this project is that people realize how lucky they are and how much need there is in other countries. “We are extremely fortunate in the U.S.,” Fernández said. “There is so much more that can be done here than in the Dominican Republic.”

For more information about the HOG For Kids Project, or if you would like to donate, go to hogforkids.com or www2.children.org.

 

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