http://www.uticaod.com/features/x289830176/The-Ride-for-Missing-Children
Record number participates in Ride for Missing ChildrenBy LISA KAPPS
Observer-Dispatch
Posted May 21, 2010 @ 10:54 AM
The Ride For Missing Children Central New York is a bike ride. And its a fundraiser.
But, said Carol Ryan, as she sat in the vehicle containing the families of missing and recovered children, it is so much more than that.
Ryan credits somebody at the Ride for Missing Children, probably in 2003, with raising the money for the posters that helped bring her daughter Lindsey safely home.
When Lindsey was recognized from her picture on a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children poster, she was in California, across the country from her Michigan home and with a convicted murderer.
It was truly a life and death thing, Ryan said.
With each mile, with each wave, and with each school the riders visited, they were closer to their goal making children safer, one child at a time. The money raised from the event helps offset costs in making missing children posters.
Fridays ride was the biggest in the events 14-year history 443 riders participated, of which about 100 were first-time riders.
As the nearly 90-mile route snaked through the Mohawk Valley, heat and dehydration were serious obstacles for riders, especially as temperatures reached above 80 degrees.
Excited students waved, cheered and held colorful signs to encourage the riders along their way.
Nationally known activist Ed Smart whose abducted daughter Elizabeth eventually made it home safe had planned on riding in Fridays event, but was unable to because of the sentencing of his daughters kidnapper.
You feel like people have forgotten
While Ryans and Smarts daughters were successfully found, others in the van Friday have been waiting between 5 and 20-plus years to hear news of their missing loved ones.
Next month, Vinyette Teague, will have been missing 27 years.
For a family thats had a child missing for that long, you feel like people have forgotten, said Lura Lunkenheimer, co-chairwoman of the Families Committee.
Vinyette Teagues mother, Kathy, watched The Ride for Missing Children event for the first time, and said: I think its something special. Its something to know that people really, truly care.Ryan agreed, and said seeing the riders willing to donate their time and energy is a reminder to the families of how much good there is in the world and that those wishing to do harm to children are the abnormal people.
School stops give you energy
At Clinton Central School, the elementary school marching band welcomed riders as students distributed thank you stickers and collected autographs from riders.
As Jim Haeger of Verona, a five-time participant, passed out pencils and signed the autograph books for two students, he said: It's great. You've been riding 20 miles so far and it picks you up for the next leg. It gives you energy.
Clinton Elementary School Principal Steven Marcus donated $2,647 that was raised by students on behalf of the school.
The route also included short stops at several Utica Schools, including Hugh R. Jones School, J.F. Hughes Elementary, Watson Williams Elementary School, Martin Luther King Elementary School, Columbus Elementary School and Thomas R. Proctor High School.
This was important, said media coordinator Katie Ullman, because the whole point of the ride is to bring the message of safety to the students. The more kids, the more schools, the better.
Balloon colors carry meaning
Children at Herkimer Elementary School released hundreds of balloons white, the symbol of hope; purple, to represent the commitment and integrity of the state police; and pink and turquoise, the colors Herkimer County child Sara Anne Wood was last seen wearing when she was abducted. Her body was never found.
When those balloons rose up into the sky, it really was super, said Chip Hemmel, co-president of the advisory board of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Mohawk Valley Branch.
It not about a bike ride
Nick Johnson, 17, a high school junior from Clinton and first-time rider, said that turning the corner into his school at Clinton was amazing.
Appreciative teachers even told him he had a free pass on whatever work was missed that day.
Theres just so many feelings just a lot going on back and forth, Johnson said. Being here is like, yeah, theyre right. Its not about a bike ride.
