posted 11/18/2025
This story is a part of a series of missionary contributions where you’ll hear more about their “why” for defending and celebrating life with Biking for Babies.
Gretchen was a second-year support crew missionary who was a part of the OHW (Ohio West) Team in 2025.
Give me a quick biography: who is Gretchen Ortner?
GO: My name is Gretchen Ortner and I am 25 years old. I grew up in Kaukauna, WI with my mom, dad, and two younger sisters. I now live in Appleton with two roommates. I am a parishioner at Holy Cross Parish in Kaukauna. I am a behavioral technician at Fox Valley Autism Treatment Program and the Religious Coordinator of Valley Area Special Needs Religious Education, based at Holy Spirit Parish in Kimberly. I love to read books, watch movies, as well as play card and board games. I also love to spend time with my extended family. I am very involved in the pro life movement; I regularly attend events and Marches for Life in DC, Madison, and Chicago. I was the president of Phoenix Students for Life, the pro life student organization at UW-Green Bay for 3 years. I have been involved with 40 Days for Life campaigns in Green Bay biannually for 6 years. My passion in life is the protection of the vulnerable, especially the unborn and those with disabilities.
What initially drew you to Biking for Babies your first year, and what keeps you coming back, especially in your support crew role, which is a much more behind-the-scenes role within the organization?
GO: 2024 was my first year as a Biking for Babies missionary, but I had known about Biking for Babies for about 5 years before that through various people, including former missionaries Katie Wanek and Nick Vandehey. I supported and donated to both of their campaigns over the years and was always very willing to share about the mission to other young adults, but I never once seriously thought that I could join the mission; it was almost always a brief, “Could I…? Noooo I couldn’t.” I never seriously discerned it. This was me until February 2024 when someone actually directly told me, “YOU should be a missionary with Biking for Babies.” That someone was Nikki Biese, the executive director of Biking for Babies. She is actually a parishioner at Holy Cross in Kaukauna as well, so I knew her and trusted her opinion. To have her think that I would be a good missionary for the Gospel of life was a huge part in making my decision to be one. But that doesn’t mean I decided right then and there to be a missionary; unfortunately, I waited until the last possible day to submit my application (I don’t recommend)! But I am so glad I did! I decided I would best serve as a support crew missionary because I believe that truly is where my talents lie; serving others is something I do at both of my jobs daily. I tell people a lot that being a support crew missionary for riders on the National Ride and being a behavioral technician for kids with autism are very similar; you need to have the ability to serve another “at the drop of a hat.” There is a lot you cannot control in both cases; both force you to prepare for the unexpected. I keep coming back to Biking for Babies for two big reasons: one is that I want to continue to get better at that type of unexpected service in both my job and my life and I have quickly come to realize that being a Biking for Babies missionary is a perfect way to do that and the second is the community; I have formed lasting relationships with so many people that you can’t get anywhere else because the National Ride is such a unique experience!
What qualities or personal missions/charisms within yourself are enhanced or grown because of your formation with Biking for Babies?
GO: I asked the Lord before this year to help me grow in patience. And boy did He! There is a lot of patience needed on the National Ride. Waiting for the flat tire to be fixed. Waiting for the lightning storm to pass. I had to learn how to give time over to Him and give Him the control. When I told some stories about patience on the National Ride to my the director of my pregnancy resource center, she told me that working at the pregnancy resource center requires the same kind of patience; they do what they can to help a woman in crisis, but ultimately they have to wait for her decision and give that time to God while they wait. She told me, “you have to have an attitude of surrender”, which I thought was really profound. I have taken that growth in patience to other parts of my life, both with time and with people.
You and your team experienced a lot this year, and it was probably a totally different experience than last year. What was your favorite memory or experience from the formation program this year (including pre-ride, National Ride, and post-ride)? 
GO: My favorite memories both years, both during virtually pre- and post-ride and in person during the National Ride, have been the team meetings. This is where pray together, get vulnerable, share stories, express opinions, process the day, and of course tell jokes. I think the most growth we experience and connection we create as a team happens during the team meetings. It really helps to have regular team meetings; if we didn’t we would not be as cohesive as a group working together and things would fall apart very quickly. My favorite team meeting this year happened on day five of the National Ride after 8pm and we were exhausted. We had encountered some pretty crazy hurdles that day, but when we processed them at the team meeting, we realized how much they brought us together. Plus, we were so overtired that the meeting turned into uncontrollable laughing! Then we remembered we had one more task to do before the day ended, even though it was so late; we had to create a reel for social media! We decided to take videos of us saying what our National Ride nickname was and why. The videos and the bloopers that resulted were hilarious!
How has Biking for Babies’ formation program impacted your spiritual life?
GO: It has greatly affected my spiritual life! In the Life Guide given to all missionaries, there are weekly reflections. I made it a routine to read through that week’s reflection and answer the questions written after it every Sunday before Mass. Common topics for the reflections were suffering with joy and serving and loving others. It really gave a boost to my spiritual life and I started praying about those things more, in relation to the National Ride. I started offering up more of my sufferings to God, and less complaining about them to Him; He will of course listen and love us either way, but it changes your mindset when you do the former more than the latter. The asceticism, or sacrifice, I choose this year as a support crew missionary, was completing a daily Holy Hour. While I wasn’t perfect and didn’t complete one every single day of formation, I noticed the more often I did do a Holy Hour, the more peaceful I felt and the more I grew in certain virtues outside the adoration chapel. The habit of having a regular Holy Hour (a few times a week at least) is definitely something I intend to continue now that formation is over.
What advice would you give to someone in your current state of life who might be considering joining Biking for Babies but is struggling saying yes because of the added time it will take (offer both inspirational advice and practical advice)?
GO: I would say start seriously discerning it! I have firsthand experience in knowing that it will change your life for the better in so many ways! “Thinking about it” and “struggling to say yes” was me for so many years, and I wish I said yes earlier. I recommend asking God what areas in your life (virtues, prayer, sacrifice, etc) He wants to you grow in, then research Biking for Babies or talk to someone who has done it before; you will learn that this mission is the perfect way to grow and become better in that area of your life.
Gretchen’s desire to serve others, grow in patience, and surrender to God should help us to reflect on how we too can follow God’s plans. We hope that you, reader, are inspired to serve God where He calls.
We are proud that Gretchen is a Biking for Babies missionary, for life!
You can find similar impact stories throughout our blog.
