More Than A Ride...Part III

5/19/2013

We are home from another amazing ride in the Mohawk Valley with the Ride for Missing Children. It was great to reunite with friends and family the past few days. There is no way to share everything so I'll highlight just a few. Thank you praying!

Each of us have a family through our blood relations. At the Ride for Missing Children, the families of the missing have a family too ~ each other. These are some of the most caring, loving, and strong individuals one can meet. I'm happy to call them my family. Throughout the day's ride there are silent tributes for the children and law enforcement that lost their lives and at the end of the ride there is a "Ring of Hope". It is a ring because we will never give up hope for our missing loved ones, ever. This is my family!

122,000 children who benefited from NCMEC's education program in preparation for this year's ride.
Prior to ride day, the cyclists and NCMEC volunteers devote time to educate the children. Many give up vacation and personal days to raise awareness and help prevent future kidnappings and exploitation of our children. A great team working to keep our children safe, one child at a time.

This August the Sara Ann Wood's family and community are faced with the twenty year anniversary of her disappearance from their lives. In remembrance of this sweet young girl a ribbon was constructed in front of Sara's elementary school. Humbled and thankful for the Wood's family and Sara's community's desire and dedication to remember Sara and all our missing. There is always hope ~ thank you.

Ribbon photograph taken and used with permission from Marc Ritter. Thank you Marc!

The riders raised $332, 649 to support these educational and preventative measures. Monies raised also help to fund the printing of missing person's flyers among other missions.