RIDE FOR KIDS® EVENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA, MICHIGAN RAISE $175,500 TO FIGHT PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMORS Hundreds of big-hearted motorcyclists rode together at Ride for Kids® events in Asheville, N.C., and Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sunday, Aug. 28, to show their support for children diagnosed with a brain tumor. The events raised more than $175,500 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s medical research and family support programs. Early morning fog at the 12th annual Asheville event greeted more than 825 motorcyclists, fundraisers, volunteers, and patient families. The police-escorted riders climbed above the clouds on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the sun followed them along curving mountain roads to Lake Lure. Under the shade of a festive big-top tent, the participants celebrated the lives of 11 young brain tumor survivors””the Ride for Kids® “stars” of the day. Three of the older children shared truly inspiring experiences””Matthew and Julia are attending college with the help of Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation scholarships, while Adam, who has been cancer-free for 20 years, is getting married this fall. Not all pediatric brain tumor patients fare as well, however. The absence of Maryann Sluder, a vivacious six-year-old who lost her battle in 2003, underscored the importance of raising money for research. One of the researchers whose work is supported by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is Dr. Darell Bigner of Duke University, director of the PBTF Institute at Duke and chairman of the PBTF Scientific Advisory Board. “We’re working on a new generation of treatment without disastrous side effects,” he said. “And we’ll keep working as hard as we can.” The total raised at the Asheville event was $92,541. The top individual fundraisers were Denise Mathers and Leah Sherritt, who brought $6,500. The top club, GWRRA NC Chapter M2, raised $14,291, while the customers of MR Motorcycles of Asheville made it the top motorcycle business with $11,026 in donations. Ray Hobby of Newberry, S.C., was the winner of a brand-new Honda motorcycle. Heartfelt appreciation went to Asheville’s task force leaders, Shelba and Terry Murray, and their hardworking volunteers for organizing a fantastic ride. Meanwhile, 475 people gathered at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Mich., under a spectacular, cloudless blue sky for the area’s 14th annual Ride for Kids® road ride and dual-sport event. The police-escorted road ride traveled winding, tree-lined rural roads before looping back to the college for the Celebration of Life program. Seven young brain tumor survivors were in attendance, including 9-year-old Morgan, who said, “That ride was awesome!” Alan, the father of PBTF scholarship winner Caroline, expressed his appreciation for foundation’s family support program, “When this happened to us the foundation made it feel like our family grew,” he said. “We found strength and support when we needed it.” The Ann Arbor event raised a total of $82,972. Top individual fundraiser honors went to Lewis and Cindy Shuler of Angola, Ind., who raised $10,300. The top club was Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan, whose members brought $20,643. The customers of Central Motorsports of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., raised $8,601 to make it the top motorcycle business. Connie Hatch of Westland, Mich., won the grand prize, a brand-new Honda motorcycle. Special thanks went to task force leaders Kathy and Bill Chapin, along with their dedicated volunteers, for putting together a super event. Proceeds of the events fund the medical research and family support programs of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Since 1984, the national Ride for Kids® program and PBTF have supported childhood brain tumor research and family support programs. Programs include free literature about brain tumors, the Helping Hand and Caring Hand national newsletters, the Informed Parent Internet Conference series and college scholarships for young brain tumor survivors. Thanks to the thousands of caring and generous motorcyclists and motorcycle dealers who have supported the program since its inception, PBTF has become the world’s largest non-governmental source of funding for pediatric brain tumor research. The next Ride for Kids® events are on Sunday, Sept. 11 in Carnation, Wash., and Sunday, Sept. 18 in Philadelphia, Penn., and St. Louis, Mo. For more information about the Ride for Kids® and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please visit rideforkids.org or pbtfus.org, or call (800) 253-6530.