Angel Ride has largest-ever turnout
Published: November 8, 2005
Despite threatening weather, more than 1,000 motorcyclists took part in the largest-ever Angel Ride over the weekend, to raise money for the families of sick children, according to organizers.
At one point during the Saturday event, the line of motorcycles crossing Baldwin County stretched from Oak Hollow Farm, south of Fairhope, to Silverhill, said Dr. Albert Corte, one of the organizers of the fourth annual fund-raiser.
“It went fantastic,” Corte said. “Even with the weather, we had a huge turnout. It was the largest turnout we’ve ever had.”
The event raises money for the Rileigh & Raylee Angel Ride Foundation. The organization, based in Baldwin County, offers financial assistance to families with children who have chronic illnesses and disabilities, Corte said. He said organizers have not yet totaled the amount raised this year, but said it should exceed that raised in 2004.
Last year, riders and concert spectators raised $120,000 for families needing assistance with medical expenses associated with their special-needs children, according to reports. Since being established in 2002 the foundation has given more than $200,000 to families.
Corte said that 764 riders were registered when the ride started in Foley. He said several other large groups of motorcyclists did not register because they were not attending the concert and other groups came to the concert at Oak Hollow Farm, but did not take part in the ride.
“In all, we probably had 1,200 to 1,500 bikes taking part during the entire day, although not all at one time, and you have to figure that most of those bikes had two people, a rider and a passenger, so that’s quite a turnout,” Corte said Monday.
In 2004, about 1,400 riders and passengers took part in the ride, according to reports at the time.
Since the first ride, which included about 600 motorcycles, the event had started at the Battleship USS Alabama, crossed the Causeway and extended down the Eastern Shore. This year, with the park still closed because of damage from Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29, the event started in Foley.
Saturday’s ride concluded at Oak Hollow with concerts by Mustang Sally and .38 Special. “As far as the concert went, we had a huge crowd of people and Mustang Sally stole the show,” Corte said.
The foundation is named for two children, Rileigh Glass and Raylee Odom, born with genetic conditions that require special medical care. Rileigh was born with Down syndrome and Raylee with muscular dystrophy.
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