NATION'S LARGEST CHARITY MOTORCYCLE RIDE SET TO THUNDER AGAINST MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
TUCSON, Ariz., April 22, 2005 – More than 3,000 motorcycle
riders will take part in the 18th Annual Ride for Life in southeastern
Pennsylvania April 30-May 1.
In the largest charitable event of its type, Ride for Life participants
will thunder through the Mohnton, Pa., area and raise funds to fight
neuromuscular diseases. Last year’s ride raised more than $864,000
for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Jeni Stepanek, mother of best-selling poet and peacemaker Mattie J.T.
Stepanek, will be a special guest. Mattie, who served as MDA’s
National Goodwill Ambassador, died in June at age 13 from a rare form
of muscular dystrophy. Mattie cherished participating in Ride for
Life, and he was loved by many riders.
“This year’s ride will be an especially emotional day,
but I know Mattie would be so proud to know that it’s shaping
up to be a bigger and stronger ride than ever,” said Stepanek
of Baltimore, an MDA National Vice President.
Primary sponsors of the event are 36 Harley-Davidson dealers in five
Mid-Atlantic states who comprise the Eastern Harley-Davidson Dealers
Association.
Riders will meet at local dealerships on Saturday morning, then travel
to Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, south of Reading, to start the
ride.
Riders raise funds primarily by soliciting pledges from friends and
local businesses. Under this year’s theme Searching for a Cure,
Minute by Minute, riders will seek funds to pay for MDA research at
a cost of $63 a minute. Other targets include $600 for a week at MDA
summer camp for a child with muscular dystrophy.
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.
For information on participating, contact Ride Co-Chair Julia Clough
at (412) 823-7722 or jclough@mdausa.org; Co-Chair Martin Brans at
(215) 692-1781 or mbrans@mdausa.org; or go to www.mdarideforlife.com and www.maplegroveraceway.com.
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