PHOENIX RIDE FOR KIDS® SETS NEW RECORD, SAN DIEGO FIRST-TIME EVENT SCORES BIG! Arizona and California motorcyclists came out strong on Sunday, Oct. 16, as they joined Ride for Kids® events in Phoenix and San Diego. Their fundraising efforts on behalf of kids fighting brain tumors contributed $221,184 to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s medical research and family support programs. The Arizona skies filled with sunshine as more than 500 motorcyclists, fundraisers, patient families and volunteers gathered at the Glendale Arena in Glendale for the ninth annual Phoenix event. The police-escorted riders toured the winding back roads of the stunning desert landscape before returning to the arena for the moving Celebration of Life program. There they honored four young brain tumor survivors for their courage and perseverance””Tanner, 5; Shelby, 9; Bryce, 11; and Logan, 12. The children were joined on stage by Steve, an adult survivor of a childhood brain tumor. Other special guests included Glendale city councilman Phil Leiberman and GWRRA executive director Don Brock. Dr. Michael Berens of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) thanked the motorcyclists for their fundraising support, saying, “Your contributions are key to the success of our research.” Bryce’s mom, Charlene, said, “We need all of your help. Because of you, PBTF’s support of research will help us find a cure.” The Phoenix event raised a total of $180,840. Scott and Mary Jo White, who started the Nikki’s Hope foundation after a brain tumor took their daughter’s life, were the top individual fundraisers with a total of $85,000. The top club was Nikki’s Hope with $86,000, followed by the Tucson Red Riders (HRCA), whose members raised $12,636. The customers of Western Honda raised $90,934 to make it the top motorcycle business. Roger Phillips of Tucson was the winner of a brand-new Honda motorcycle donated by American Honda Motor Company. Special thanks went to Phoenix’s task force leaders””Edie and Dave Hewitt and Clark Roushey, along with the dedicated task force members and day-of-event volunteers, for hosting a wonderful event. On the California coast, more than 200 people came out to Mira Costa College in Cardiff for the first annual San Diego Ride for Kids®. Thunder, lightning and gully-washing rain didn’t stop the police-escorted riders from enjoying a trip through the scenic countryside northeast of the city. Afterward, they took part in the Celebration of Life program with several young brain tumor survivors, including Jordan, 6; Sidney, 7; Steven, 11; Leo and Stephen, 15; and Bayleigh, 16. Also on hand were several adult survivors, including Michelle, Jennifer, Esmeralda, Jonathan, Samantha and Erin, the older sister of Ride for Kids® “star” Leo. Erin told the crowd that they had “awesome hearts,” and Bayleigh said, “What you’re doing here today really is a life and death choice, for me and all the others here.” Dr. Eduardo Serna, who rode in the event, thanked his fellow motorcyclists for raising money for research into childhood brain tumors. Special guests included Charlie Keller of the Honda Rider’s Club of America. The total raised in San Diego was $40,344. Top individual fundraiser honors went to Cliff and Rebe Philip of Temecula, Calif., who raised $8,250. The top club was GWRRA CA Chapter 1N, whose members brought $16,078, and the customers of Escondido Cycle Center raised $15,176 to make it the top motorcycle business. Louis Vanderveen of Los Angeles won the grand prize, a brand-new Honda motorcycle. Heartfelt thanks went to task force leaders Patricia and Richard Hinrichs and visitation leaders Louis Vanderveen and Edel Albright, along with the hardworking task force members and day-of-event volunteers, for putting together a superb first-year event. Proceeds of the events fund the medical research and family support programs of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Since 1984, the national Ride for Kids® program and PBTF have supported childhood brain tumor research and family support programs. Programs include free literature about brain tumors, two national newsletters, the Informed Parent & Survivor Internet Conference series and college scholarships. Thanks to the thousands of caring and generous motorcyclists and motorcycle dealers who have supported the program since its inception, PBTF has become the world’s largest non-governmental source of funding for pediatric brain tumor research. The next Ride for Kids® events are on Oct. 23 in Lafayette, La., and Nov. 6 in Dunnellon, Fla. For more information about the Ride for Kids® and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please visit rideforkids.org or pbtfus.org, or call (800) 253-6530.