By Jordan Puckett
Sun staff

The third annual Ride for the Runts motorcycle ride will take place June 22 in Milford. Proceeds from the ride go toward needy children and families in the Clermont County area.

The ride is hosted by the Victor Stier American Legion, SAL & Auxiliary Child Welfare Committee. The welfare committee has partnered with the PTO of Owensville to provide the school with a grill, has provided schools with cake and brownie mixes, and also reaches out to children in foster homes.

“A lot of foster kids go into this with nothing,” said Terri Clifton of the Auxiliary Child Welfare Committee. “We try to make the transition a little easier by providing them with brand new school supplies.”

The Ride for the Runts was inspired by the Thundering Hearts ride. The Thundering Hearts ride was sponsored by Children’s Hospital and all the proceeds went to helping children with cancer. The Legion approached biker Mike Curliss and they began planning the Ride for the Runts. Curliss had previously expressed a desire to get involved in the community.

“I couldn’t hardly say no to it,” Curliss said. “I love being able to help the kids.”

The first year of the ride drew in around 50 motorcyclists and about $1,000 in profit. More bikers participated the next year, and with more advertisement and sponsorship, $2,300 was raised. Nearly 100 percent of the profits from the ride go directly to the Child Welfare program.

Much of this money is used around Christmas. Members of the Child Welfare Committee buy clothes and toys for needy children, as well as dinners and other necessities for the family.

“I knew it was a good cause, but I didn’t know how good until I went shopping with them,” Curliss said. “Once you see what all the hard work goes to, it’s kind of overwhelming.”

The ride this year will start at the American Legion in Milford and make stops in New Richmond and Williamsburg before returning to Milford. Bands will begin performing at the legion around 3:30. The two bands present will be the Knuckleheads and Bam Bam and the Wayouts. Both bands are performing for free.

There will also be hamburgers and hot dogs to eat, as well as a split the pot contest and raffle drawings. One item to be raffled is a miniature Harley Davidson Mini Bar made by Debbie Shaffer. Raffle tickets are only $2.

“It’s not just for people who ride motorcyles,” Clifton said. “It’s for everybody.”

Registration for the ride is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the morning of the ride. Bikers will leave the Milford American Legion at noon and return around 4 p.m. Festivities for the general public will begin at 2 p.m. at the legion.

The cost to participate in the ride is $10 per single rider and $15 for a rider with a passenger.