The countdown to the seventh annual Hadley Cycles Ride for Sick Kids Charity Bike Ride has begun and Armidale residents are being called to rally behind the 25 cyclists who are aiming to reach the $1.5 million fundraising mark in aid of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) programs across Northern NSW.
The 25 tireless cyclists will traverse a mammoth 535km across Northern NSW in just five days. The Ride kicks off in Armidale on Tuesday, August 30, with stops at Tamworth, Scone, Muswellbrook, Lovedale, Cessnock and Terrigal, visiting schools and holding fundraising events along the way before reaching its final destination, the Ronald McDonald House in Newcastle on Saturday, September 3.
McDonald’s Armidale Licensees, Troy and Benita Johnson, have confirmed their support for the Ride, organising a community fundraising event to kick off the Charity Bike Ride in style and help raise much needed funds for local families supported by RMHC.
“Ronald McDonald House Charities is an absolute blessing for Northern NSW residents, providing a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families.
“It’s a privilege to support this fantastic fundraising initiative,” said McDonald’s Armidale Licensee, Benita Johnson.
The entire Armidale community is invited to attend a cocktail function to be held on Monday, August 29 from 6.30pm at NERAM. It is set to be an enjoyable evening for Armidale residents, cyclists and ride organisers, with Australian Comedian of The Year, Kenny Graham, featured as the main entertainment of the evening.
The night will also mark the start of an online auction where the actual soccer ball used during the 2010 World Cup match between the Socceroos and Serbia will be up for grabs. The ball has been generously donated by Coca-Cola, who found out about the Ride for Sick Kids through the efforts of Coca-Cola’s Armidale representative, Graham Porter, and McDonald’s Armidale Licensee Troy Johnson. The winner of the online auction will be announced at the conclusion of the Bike Ride.
“We are hoping that the fundraising night will be a sold-out event, where the local community can get together and support these 25 fantastic cyclists embarking on a gruelling ride to help support the programs of RMHC and the Ronald McDonald Houses in our region,” added Troy Johnson.
“We’d also like to thank members of the Armidale community who have helped us get on track with our fundraising target this year; in particular Steve Sewell from Invest Blue who, for the past three years, has supported the Ride for Sick Kids and have once again generously donated $10,000 to our cause.”
Tickets for the fundraising event are available at Carrs News Agency for $50 each. All tickets include food and drinks from NERAM Harvest. For any queries about the Armidale fundraising night, please contact Troy Johnson on 0408 711 622.
To find out more about Hadley Cycles Ride for Sick Kids, please visit www.rideforsickkids,org or to find out more about Ronald McDonald House, visit www.rmhc.org.au.
