The 7th Annual Ryde for Ryder event is set for Saturday, June 24th with registration at 7 am and a shotgun start at 8 am out front of the Patton Block Grill and Brew Pub in Downtown Monmouth. Local firefighter Ryan Armstrong shares the history behind the yearly event:
“This is an event to honor my wife and I’s two-year-old son. He passed away from Leukemia and back when he was diagnosed, I was actively riding with the Monmouth Daily Drafters they came together to organize this event for the first year in 2017 and ever since then we have continued every year. We use the proceeds from it to either make annual donations to St. Jude or there is another charity we used that helped Ryder a lot when he was in Memphis called the Chis Oak Foundation. We also help other local families that are dealing with pediatric cancer.”
Entry fee for the Ryde for Ryder is $30, which offers three loop options to choose from, plus an e-bike is being raffled all summer long to benefit the event, explains Midwest Bank President Chris Gavin:
“We have three different ride options, 15 miles, 25 miles, and 50-mile loops. They go out south and east of Monmouth and come back in. It has been a very successful event. We don’t always have a huge number of riders, but we also have other fundraising activities to go along with the ride itself. Nick’s Cycling in Burlington and also Bickel’s have been with us from the start. Bickel’s provides water bottles every year with a coupon for $20 off a $50 purchase. Nick’s has donated a spin bike for the last several years for us to raffle off. This year though we have a really cool e-bike.”
Raffle tickets for the e-bike can be purchased at Midwest Bank in Monmouth. For more details on the upcoming Ryde for Ryder event or to get registered, search Midwest Bank on Facebook.
