PEORIA, Ill. — Roughly 200 motorcycles will head south to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Thursday morning, many of them from the Peoria area.
St. Jude Rides was started in Peoria 16 years ago by Mike McCoy and Eric Wilson.
Local rider Dave Gauf is back for his second ride for St. Jude this year.
Gauf tells WMBD News that local riders are taking off from Walters Brothers Harley Davidson at 7 a.m. Thursday, before meeting up with satellite riders down the road.
“They’ve got satellite runs coming from Princeton (Illinois) and one from, I believe Iowa, will meet with us in Dyersburg (Tennessee) Friday morning, then satellite runs from Chicago and one from around St. Louis will meet with us too into one group,” Gauf says.
St. Jude Rides are also coming from Tennessee and Alabama.
Each rider commits to raising at least $1,000 for St. Jude to take part in the ride. If they’ve got a passenger along, it’s $1,500.
Peoria area riders will leave around 7 a.m. Thursday from Walters Brothers Harley Davidson, located at 615 S Maxwell Road in Peoria. All are welcome to the send off.
Last year, St. Jude Rides raised about $774,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, helping to make sure no family is ever asked to pay for treatment.
This year’s goal is expected to at least match last year’s goal, Gauf says.
To learn how you can give to St. Jude, click HERE.
