Riders rolled into the Baltimore-Washington Ride for Kids® on Sept. 26 with $248,051 in donations for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® (PBTF).
The 19th annual event took place at a new location, the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Md. Over 450 motorcyclists and supporters turned out to cheer on brain tumor survivors like Maggie, Bobby, Teodora, Shelby, Olivia, Paige, Nick and Ethan. After a pleasant Sunday morning ride through the Maryland countryside, everyone returned for a Celebration of Life program to hear these children’s stories.
Dr. Roger Packer of Children’s National Medical Center, a member of the PBTF’s Scientific Advisory Board, was on hand to tell the crowd about research advances. “We’re getting to a point where we can personalize brain tumor treatment,” he said. “We’re trying to make life better for these ‘stars’ so they can reach their life goals.”
Fundraisers are working hard to make that happen. The leading contributors at this event were:
Individual: Bob Henig, $106,434
Club/Chapter: Manassas Honda Riders Club, $12,820
Motorcycle Business: Bob’s BMW, $120,749
Volunteers are the heart of the Baltimore-Washington Ride for Kids®. This year’s team was led by Taryn Wilson-Wheatley, Marcy Rich and Joe Pruss.
The national Ride for Kids® program and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® (PBTF) promote childhood brain tumor research and provide family support through free literature about brain tumors, educational newsletters, online conferences and college scholarships. The 2010 Ride for Kids® season continues on Oct. 3 with rides in California, Nevada and Texas. For more information, go to http://www.rideforkids.org or call 800-253-6530.
