Motorcycle bikers ride to support disability services

Community Residences Inc. and Jewels and Gents Motorcycle and Auto Club will host the first Ride for Intellectual Disabilities (rIDe) Saturday, Oct. 12.

Community Residences (CR) Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides physical, mental and emotional services to adults with various mental disabilities to promote more independent and dignified living.

Participating motorcycle riders will begin the rIDe with a police escort from Petersburg, Va., and after 20 miles along Route 301, will end in Richmond.

At the conclusion of the ride, riders will be greeted with a community festival consisting of free food, live music, activities and fundraising opportunities. All of the proceeds will go to Richmond's three CR programs.

Public relations and volunteer coordinator Kristy Cruz said the organization is expecting a large turnout of individual bikers and motorbike clubs on the day of the event. "This is the first year of the rIDe," Cruz said. "We are hoping for a large turnout so that we are able to turn this into an annual event."

Teresa Secreti, the clinical director for Richmond area programs, came up with the idea for the bike ride and rally when a staff member rode her motorcycle to work.

"The main purpose of the event is to increase awareness of the need to support these adults," Secreti said. "CR is an organization that is very dedicated to community inclusion and awareness. That's why we wanted the festival following the ride to be a very family-oriented atmosphere."

There will be more opportunities to support CR adults and programs than through the bike ride and festival. Artwork from the Arlington ArtWorks program will be available for purchase at the festival following the ride.

"All types of handmade artwork--glass art, jewelry, paintings and more--is created by CR members as a part of a therapeutic program," Cruz said. "People will have the chance to buy this beautiful art. Some proceeds will go directly to the adults in the CR programs and some will go back to CR."

Registration for the event will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 12, and the rIDe will begin at 10:30 a.m. There is a $20 entry fee for riders and a $5 fee for passengers. To learn more about this event, please visit www.theride.myevent.com.

Contact reporter Lauren Shute at lauren.shute@richmond.edu