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Sarah Langenkamp Was Tragically Killed Riding Her Bike Home From Her Son’s Elementary School on August 25th; Her Husband Has Raised Over $220K for Safer Streets Since Her Death

Sarah Langenkamp was a U.S. Diplomat with the State Department for 17 years. Langenkamp was the mother of two young children and had recently relocated to Bethesda with her husband, Dan Langenkamp, and their two sons. In an interview with The Washington Post, Dan Langenkamp stated, “We returned to the United States for our safety. She was supposed to be safe, and to me, it is absolutely unconscionable that she would be safer in Ukraine than she would be on streets in the Washington metro area.”

On Thursday, August 25th, Sarah Joan Langenkamp was killed when she was struck by a flatbed truck at approximately 4:05 p.m. on River Road in Bethesda as she was riding home form her son’s elementary school. A preliminary investigation by detectives with the Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) revealed that both the driver of a red 2014 Volvo D13 flatbed truck and the bicyclist were traveling east on River Rd. 42-year-old Sarah Joan Langenkamp was in the bicycle lane when the Volvo turned right into the parking lot of 5244 River Rd. and struck Langenkamp, who was run over by the truck. Langenkamp was pronounced dead on scene.

Last week, Dan Langenkampstarted a GoFundMe campaign that aims to work with local and national cycling safety organizations to advocate for safer bike routes, including the particular stretch of road that claimed the life of his wife, Sarah. “If cities truly wish to make themselves walkable and bikeable to attract workers and talent, they need to do more than paint lines and bike symbols on roads. Such bike lanes — lacking proper barriers, truck/auto driver education, laws, and law enforcement — are only death traps, luring innocent victims like Sarah toward them. They result in tragic deaths that leave children without parents and the world without its most talented and committed individuals. Cities should not boast of having “bike lanes” when bikers are needlessly and repeatedly killed on them, as they have been this year.” The GoFundMe, seen below, has already raised over $220K in a week.

“Friends–Sarah Langenkamp (née Debbink) was tragically killed on Thursday, August 25, while riding home from our sons’ new elementary school in Bethesda, Maryland. Sarah was the mother of our two young sons and a U.S. Diplomat with the State Department for 17 years. We had just moved to Bethesda after our evacuation from Ukraine. There, she had been in charge of programs to help the country’s anti-corruption institutions and shepherd millions of dollars in U.S. assistance to police, border guards, and other non-military security institutions.
Her ride that day, planned on her cell phone, took her on designated bike routes through residential neighborhoods and the Washington-Bethesda Capitol Crescent trail. For a few hundred yards, it took her along River Road — a busy commercial route where a bike lane competes with cars and industrial traffic for space as the road becomes State Highway 190.
Friends know that our commitment to biking is linked to our deep belief in living a life that is healthy, humble, and green. Sarah did not need to show the world she was a successful professional, diplomat, leader, and role model. Her grace, intelligence, kindness, and deep commitment to promoting U.S. interests around the world was shown in her work and actions. To carry out this important mission, Sarah rode a bike — almost every day.
Sarah and I have been lifelong and committed cyclists and regularly commuted to work all over the world, including in Ukraine, Côte d’Ivoire and Washington, D.C. During this period, we have seen how cities all over America, and the world, increasingly boast of making their cities “walkable and bikeable.”
This fundraising effort aims to work with local and national cycling safety organizations to advocate for safer bike routes, including this particular stretch of road. If cities truly wish to make themselves walkable and bikeable to attract workers and talent, they need to do more than paint lines and bike symbols on roads. Such bike lanes — lacking proper barriers, truck/auto driver education, laws, and law enforcement — are only death traps, luring innocent victims like Sarah toward them. They result in tragic deaths that leave children without parents and the world without its most talented and committed individuals. Cities should not boast of having “bike lanes” when bikers are needlessly and repeatedly killed on them, as they have been this year.
I have created this account with an ambitious goal of $50,000 to help organizations already working on bike safety. I am doing this because I am furious about Sarah’s death, and I am personally committed to ensuring our mission to increase bike safety is realized. Our aim will be to conduct government advocacy, raise public awareness, hire legal assistance, and improve driver education. We will strive to develop innovative tech solutions to create a world where bikers are safer. These could include apps that rate the safety of bike routes, alert bikers of locations where accidents have occurred, or simply note routes that are unsafe. It could also include the development of vehicle sensors to warn of the presence of a biker on a road.
I hope our many friends, family, and others who care about community safety will make a commitment today in Sarah’s name. Ultimately, we can ensure that Sarah Langenkamp’s tragic and utterly needless death will not have been in vain.”

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Join us at Lafayette Federal Credit Union for a Free Community Shred Day, an event dedicated to helping you protect your privacy and the environment! Bring your old bank statements, bills, medical records, and any other paper documents that need secure disposal, and we'll take care of them on the spot.

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Protect Your Privacy: Safely shred sensitive documents to help prevent identity theft.

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This event is open to all! It's a fantastic opportunity to clean out those old documents cluttering up your home, safe in the knowledge that they will be disposed of securely. Plus, it's completely free!

Don't miss out on this chance to declutter safely, enjoy some free treats, and possibly win a great prize. We look forward to seeing you there, rain or shine!

For more information, contact us at www.lfcu.events/shred.

FEST OF SPRING Caribbean Wine Food & Music Festival

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Get ready to experience the vibrant colors, tantalizing flavors, and infectious rhythms of the Caribbean at the FEST OF SPRING Caribbean Wine Food & Music Festival! Hosted by RHU LLC, this exciting festival is set to take place on May 18, 2024, at the picturesque 16700 Barnesville Rd in Boyds, MD.

Step into a world where the Caribbean spirit comes alive! From 12:00 PM onwards, immerse yourself in a sensory journey that celebrates the unique culture, cuisine, and music of the Caribbean. Whether you're an African American, a Reggae or Soca music enthusiast, a wine lover, or part of the vibrant Caribbean diaspora, this festival promises to delight and captivate you in every way.

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Don't miss this opportunity to embrace the Caribbean spirit and celebrate the arrival of spring in style! Tickets are available on AllEvents, so secure your spot today. Join us at the FEST OF SPRING Caribbean Wine Food & Music Festival, where cultures collide and unforgettable memories are made.

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KIDS 12 & UNDER FREE!!!

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