With a little cheer on the line for children at Christmas time, organizers are hoping to revv up interest in a 100-mile motorcycle ride.
The sixth annual Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund ABATE ride on June 24 will be a roll- ing day-long adventure on two wheels.
Forget the early registration from previous years’ Cheer Fund fundraising rides, and instead just pull up your motorcycle up outside Dorel Juvenile Group, 500 S. Gladstone Ave., event spokeswoman Teresa McCrory said. On-site registration begins at 8 a.m. that Saturday.
After the 100-mile trip begins with kickstands up at 10 a.m., motorcyclists will head south on U.S. 31 through Jackson County, then angle west before returning to Columbus, where riders will be encouraged to celebrate at the BBQ, Blues & Brew event. That goes until 10 p.m. along Fourth Street in downtown Columbus.
Although down from earlier years, rider participation has been steady at 80 to 85 the past few years, with $1,200 and $1,500 raised annually, Cheer Fund co-chairman Chris Owens said.
Fees are $25 fee for single riders and $10 for passengers.
Proceeds benefit the Cheer Fund, an annual Christmas assistance program that has provided children with toys, clothing and other goodies each December for 87 years. Last year, the program reached more than 1,200 children.
The Bartholomew County chapter of ABATE, which stands for the American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, works to promote motorcycle safety, protect their rights and help others, according to the ABATE of Indiana website.
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For information on the June 24 Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund ride, call 812-603-6523 or email your questions to [email protected]
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