Making a difference with Ride For Kids
Sadly, no. Motorcycling cannot cure childhood brain tumors. It can, however, make one heck of a difference in supporting families dealing with the diagnosis and funding research into the cause and cure for childhood brain tumors.
Ride for Kids (RFK) founder, Mike Traynor was not looking to create a charity. An Atlanta businessmen, avid motorcyclist, and family man, Traynor had a colleague and friend whose child was diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor. Doctors told them to take the child home, make them comfortable and prepare for the end.
Heart wrenching to witness, Traynor learned that cancer research was simply not funded for this type of cancer, so doctors had few options with which to offer help. His solution? Mobilize the most generous community he knew—motorcyclists.
More than 35 years later, RFK is the leading fundraising arm of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation—an organization that provides family services, grants for research and treatment, and even scholarships to help the growing number of kids who concur this disease.
Ride For Kids events are staged around the country, 25 in total for 2019. The SoCal Dual-Sport ride is unique, in that participants are offered multiple routes, from paved, easy dirt, moderate dirt and advanced dirt. This year REVER lent a hand by creating a Ride For Kids Community from which participants could select, and ride the route of their choice.
The event took place on April 13th, and raised over $48,000! It was a perfect day for a ride in the San Bernardino forest, which has an excellent trail network. Starting at Glen Helen Raceway, participants gathered and enjoyed some great breakfast, raffle items and a RFK presentation, before hitting the trail, and riding up to Arrowhead for lunch.
Check out the RFK Community if you would like to ride one of these loops yourself. Also, join the community to keep up on the latest RFK rides in your area. Soon REVER, RFK title sponsor Honda, and others will be announcing some exciting new ways that you can help the kids, while you ride!
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