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04/06/2016 09:30 AMThis spring, all kids who live to race their bicycles around the neighborhood will now have the opportunity to ride for a good cause. Kids Ride for Kids, a bike ride to benefit Kids HUGS, is coming home to Guilford Sunday, May 1, and kids of all ages are invited to join in the fundraiser.
Kids HUGS is a program to support children with a parent who is living with an illness or disability.
Kids Ride for Kids, which had previously been held at Hammonnasset State Park, will now stretch along the Guilford coastline.
The 5k route starts and ends at Jacobs Beach. Guilford Police will escort the riders and will direct traffic along the flat, scenic, shoreline route. All riders must wear helmets to participate. Families should plan to arrive at the start by 9:45 a.m.
Participants are encouraged to fundraise; anyone who raises $50 or more will receive a special prize. All proceeds will benefit Kids HUGS and donations are tax-deductible.
The new location is a nice change for riders, but is especially important to ride founder and Guilford resident Amy Fenollosa, who established the ride in honor of her late husband, Nat.
Nat Fenollosa was an avid cycler, often competing in charity rides, but everything changed in 2011 when he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Fenollosa said despite the diagnosis, her late husband wanted to keep cycling.
“Once he was diagnosed, riding to raise funds to support both Smilow Cancer Hospital and Dana Farber was even more important to him,” she said. “He really believed in giving back to the community and he wanted to encourage children to participate in charity rides.”
To honor his memory, Fenollosa decided to establish the Kids Ride for Kids community ride, which aims to get more young people involved in giving back to their peers.
“When Nat was diagnosed with cancer, our boys were 5 and 7 years old and our whole lives changed,” she said. “We looked for resources to help our young children through the difficult times and we were disappointed to learn that there weren’t any programs available for children with a critically ill parent on the shoreline.”
Following Nat’s death in 2014, Fenollosa founded Kids HUGS in Guilford, offered in connection with the Women & Family Life Center, to provide more resources for children in similar situations.
“We’re a community where children can meet other kids like them who are going through extraordinarily challenging times,” she said. “Together they can learn and grow. They’ll discover it’s OK to ask questions, it’s healthy to laugh, and it’s good to meet new people. We’ll teach them coping skills that they can rely on throughout their lives.”
Kids Ride for Kids will benefit Kids HUGS and help with annual fundraising, according to Fenollosa.
“In 2015 we raised nearly $15,000 in donations from local sponsors” and through other fundraising, she said. “In 2016, we’re delighted to have Northeast Medical Group support us as a presenting sponsor. Through their generous donation and the support of many local sponsors, we hope to increase the amount raised to $20,000 in 2016.”
While the ride serves as an important community fundraiser, Fenollosa said the ride is about honoring her husband’s passion for cycling and getting kids involved.
“The Kids Ride for Kids is a perfect way to honor his memory and support an organization that provides resources to families during difficult times,” she said.
The fee to enter is $20 and includes a T-shirt and post-ride celebration with music from DJ PICHI, bagels from Cohen’s Bagel Co., and snacks from Deep River Snacks on Jacobs Beach.
To learn more and to register, visit www.kidshugs.org.