June
2002
Seven-day bike ride benefits runaway and abused
children
The
Anchor House Ride For Runaways route for its twenty-fourth annual
charity bike ride to benefit the Trenton-based shelter for runaway
and abused children.
This
year's ride will depart from Martinsburg, W.Va., on July 14, and
head east, stopping in Westminster and Northeast, Md., before
dipping south into the Eastern Shore of Maryland, with stops in
Easton and Salisbury, Md.
From
Salisbury, the Ride will stop in Lewes, Del. Participants will
board the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to begin the day on July 19, and
ride to Hammonton, N.J. The Ride will wrap up with the traditional
arrival in Quaker Bridge Mall on Saturday, July 20.
"This
year's route is a bit of a departure from our usual routes, which
alternate from the south and the north," said Ride Committee
Co-Chairperson Tim Quinn. "In 1999, we did a west-to-east
route from the north in Erie, Pa., that proved very popular. This
is a sort of southern west-to-east route with a big loop to the
south. We're looking forward to riding on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, which the Ride hasn't visited in more than a decade.
We think our riders will love the terrain and the scenery and
the chance to take a ferry into New Jersey rather than crossing
from Pennsylvania."
Ride
Committee members Brian McLaughlin, Walt Miller and Ken Sharples
designed this year's route, with help from Mr. Quinn.
The
annual Ride For Runaways typically raises more than half of the
operating budget of Anchor House, a shelter for homeless, runaway
and abused children in the region. Last year's Ride raised more
than $425,000 in 2001, from more than 8,000 individual pledges.
Funds
are raised in a number of ways. Each cyclist must collect a minimum
of $750 in pledges, though the average amount per cyclist is closer
to $2,000.
The
Times of Trenton and Nassau Broadcasting are once again
joining forces as media sponsors of the Ride. Corporate sponsors
making monetary and in-kind contributions include Quaker Oats,
Nabisco, Pepsi Cola and Kraft General Foods, as well as many local
businesses.
"This
Ride allows the doors of Anchor House to remain open to serve
the kids in need," said Judy Donohoe-Hutton, Anchor House's
executive director. "Last year, more than 2400 youths and
families were aided by our programs."
Hutton
is proud that all funds raised go to fund the House and its many
programs, which include the shelter; an outreach program that
services many local schools; the Anchorage, a transitional living
program for teens working their way into society; the Anchor Connection,
a drug and violence prevention program; and Anchor Link, a street
outreach program.
#
# #
For
additional information or to receive a Ride Application, contact
Kathy Drulis at the Anchor House Foundation Office at 609-278-9495.
