The Triangle Area Ride for Kids® near Raleigh, N.C., continues to smash its previous fundraising records. Now in its fourth year, the event brought in over $91,000 for the PBTF on a gorgeous Sunday morning at Ebenezer Church Recreation Area of Jordan Lake State Park.
After circling the lake with a police escort, the Ride participants returned to the big-top tent for the Celebration of Life with the kids their funds help. The crowd of 450 enthusiastically cheered the eight stars of the day, ranging from 5-year-old Daniel to Cayce, 21, who attends college with the help of a Cycle World/PBTF scholarship.
Jeff, father of 15-year-old Cheryl, spoke on behalf of the patient families. "We look forward to seeing the families come back every year knowing that the kids are still with us," he said.
Special guests included NBC-17 news anchor Bill Fitzgerald and noted comic book and movie artist Tommy Lee Edwards. The crowd also heard from Dr. Duane Mitchell, assistant professor of neurosurgery at Duke University, home of a PBTF research institute. "The treatment and research that is done," he told them, "is because of the money you pull together."
The event raised $91,460. Jerry Hart of Raleigh was the top fundraiser with $28,895, Raleigh Harley Owners Group was the top club/chapter with $29,741, and Ray Price Harley-Davidson was the top motorcycle business with $33,498 in donations. The grand prize, a brand-new Honda motorcycle, was won by Peg Cherny of Raleigh.
The Triangle Area Ride owes its success to the hard work and dedication of local task force leaders Maxine and Rod Gilvey and Roland Cargill, visitation leaders Linda and Richard Berner, task force members and event volunteers.
If were unable to attend, send your donations to PBTF, 302 Ridgefield Ct., Asheville, NC 28806 to receive your premiums by mail.
