Hundreds of cyclists turned out Saturday morning for the We Bike For Kids charity ride.
The weather for the ride, which began and ended at SeaBreeze Recreation Center, was spectacular.
Many made the event a family affair.
Illiana Miranda and her daughter, Amandalesly Miranda, waited at the finish for her father, Efrain Lopez of the Village of Hemingway and her boyfriend, Henry Rains.
Her father, a dedicated cyclist, had taken part in the 62-mile ride while her boyfriend, a beginner, had tackled the 30-mile ride.
“I was nervous. It was my first time riding in a big pack,” Rains said. “But it turned out to be great.”
It was the second-longest ride he had ever taken.
John and Karen Gordon of the Village of Country Club Hills used the event to prepare for a Bike MS ride next month. They are riding in that event to support their daughter-in-law-to-be Melissa Weller. The Gordons, their son Scott, Melissa and Melissa’s friends were all wearing Melissa’s Stampede shirts in honor of their team. Melissa, an Orlando school principal, has Multiple Sclerosis. They said they were excited to ride in We Bike For Kids.
Bonnybrook neighbors Molly Berkaw and Ron Kaissling embarked on the 10-mile We Bike For Kids ride Saturday.
They regularly ride with the Castleberry Circle Group.
“This is a great event,” Kaissling said. “It is fun to get to ride and do what we enjoy and help the kids.”
We Bike For Kids was started by Villagers Wally Kurz and Peg Casey.
Proceeds from the ride will benefit Project Legacy and Sumter County Youth Center. Project Legacy is a local non-profit organization that identifies the needs of children in the community, then organizes its partners and resources to address those needs. Sumter County Youth Center is a non-profit, community-based organization, serving the social service needs of youth and families in Sumter County.
The primary financial supporter of the event is Parady Financial Group.
During the post-ride lunch, donated by redsauce, Cindy Nazzaro, managing partner of Parady Financial Group, made a $4,000 check presentation to Kurz and Casey.
Nazarro said Parady is proud to be associated with the event and all that it stands for.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office provided traffic control for the riders.
