The ninth annual Utica Ride for Kids® in upstate New York attracted 750 participants on July 16. Together the riders and fundraisers donated more than $113,600 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation's medical research and family support programs, topping all of their event's previous fundraising efforts.
The motorcyclists left Deerfield on a warm, sunny morning for a scenic ride through the hunting camps and wooded terrain of the Adirondack foothills. Their police escort led them to the Old Forge Pavilion in the town of Webb, where they joined brain tumor survivors, their families, volunteers and other participants for the real highlight of the day, the Celebration of Life program.
The stars were the eight local brain tumor survivors on hand. Gary, 21, a PBTF scholarship recipient who will graduate from college next year, rode his own motorcycle to the event. He told the audience that he was "...amazed you raised all this money. I can't thank you enough."
The Utica ride raised a total of $113,634. The top individual fundraisers were Jill and Peter Weidman of Queensbury, N.Y., who raised $10,420. The top club, the Erie Canal Harley Owners Group of New Hartford, N.Y., turned in $16,649. Harley-Davidson Buell of Utica was the top motorcycle business with $15,364 in customer donations. John Bord III of Utica won the grand prize, a brand-new Honda motorcycle.
Special thanks went to Utica's task force leaders, Kathy and Ken Sweatman and Karen and Steve Clary, visitation leaders Juanita and Charlie Piaquadio, task force members and day-of-event volunteers, for putting together a superb event.
