In its second year, a local fundraiser has been seemed a success and will continue.
The Ride for Franky consisted of a four-hour motorcycle ride and a picnic at Tullytown Borough Park afterwards and benefited the nonprofit Team Franky Foundation.
Advertisements
According to event organizers, 68 motorcycles went on the ride. Many of the bikes had double riders, bringing the number to nearly 100 registered riders. Another 100 people had registered for the picnic by 1:30 p.m., an hour after it began.
“We’re doing great. We’re very happy with the turnout. Everyone is working hard,” said Tiffany Fusco, the leader of the Team Franky Foundation. According to Fusco, the proceeds from Saturday’s ride will go towards benefiting kids at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and to assist with dinners when the holidays come.
The foundation and ride were started in honor of little Franky Talley, who passed away in 2014 from a rare and eventually fatal form of childhood cancer.
Advertisements
In addition to food and drinks, attendees could enter to win raffles, kids could go on a moon bounce and Elmo even made an appearance. The Tullytown Fire Company provided parking and the Hellraisers Law Enforcement Bike Club supported the ride and picnic.
“We’re so thankful for the support of our community,” Fusco said. “It’s our second year, and I’m very happy to see it getting bigger and better,” she said. Fusco mentioned that she hopes the event will continue to grow as years go on, so that more kids and families can be helped.
Advertisements
“When a child is diagnosed, it takes a team, and we want to be that team for them,” Fusco said, referring to the help provided by the Team Franky Foundation.
Mike Hammar, a chief organizer of the ride, talked about the strong turnout of the fundraiser and mentioned that the ride would not be possible without help from other organizers, including Michelle Hammar as well as their children Brittany and Michael and Joe Hanak.
Linda and Jim Studley volunteered their time to photograph the ride and event.
Advertisements
During the ride, the group made five stops: The American Legion 960, Station 22, the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company, the Plumbsteadville Fire Company, the Upper Makefield Fire Company and the Tullytown Fire Company.
Fire companies make up the majority of the stops because they are always willing to get involved, Hammar said. “They’re great people, and they always love getting involved.”
Advertisements
According to Hammar, none of the benefit would have been possible without the aid of Tullytown and its fire company. Tullytown supplied the venue and the fire company aided the ride in any way they could throughout the planning and event.
The date for next year’s ride is already set: August 19, 2017.
