Over 200 Bikers Wrap Up 15th Cross-Country Ride for Children

By Kevin P. Donovan, Christian Post Reporter Sunday, May 17, 2009

More than 200 bikers will be concluding a 10-day cross country ride Sunday as part of an annual fundraising effort for children with serious illnesses.

By the time the Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America concludes Sunday, the bikers will have traveled more than 3,500 miles from Stevenson, Wash., to Greensboro, N.C.

This year's event not only celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Ride, but also the birth of a second Victory Junction in Kansas City.

"This is a big year for the Charity Ride family," commented NASCAR driver and Charity Ride founder Kyle Petty.

Since the Charity Ride's inception in 1995, 6,100 participants have logged more than 7.9 million cumulative motorcycle miles and donated more than $12 million to Randleman, N.C.-based Victory Junction and other charities that support chronically ill children.

"It's hard to believe we've been crisscrossing the country on our bikes for 15 years," he added. "We have a great time, but it's really all about the kids. We've seen so many lives touched through Victory Junction and the other charities we've partnered with over the years. Pattie and I are looking forward to many more successful Rides. These riders make kids' dreams come true."

This year, notable Ride participants include NASCAR legend Harry Gant, Chick-fil-A President and COO Dan Cathy, football great Herschel Walker, PGA Tour Professional Davis Love III, and Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

"I've been honored to be a part of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride for the last five years and to see up close the impact the Ride has on the organizations and children it supports," Cathy said. "Chick-fil-A is proud to be associated with such a worthy cause, and I'm looking forward to another rewarding Ride."

In addition to Chick-fil-A, other sponsors of the 15th Kyle Petty Charity Ride include Coca-Cola, Pilot Travel Centers, Racing Electronics, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Sprint Nextel, Under Armour, and WinCraft Incorporated.

The Ride concludes Sunday at the Grandover Resort in Grandover, N.C.