The sixth annual Harleys Against Heroin event is slated for Aug. 10.

What started as a few friends coming together to bring awareness to the unfortunate impact the heroin epidemic has made in lives of those they love, Harleys Against Heroin was created. In their sixth year, HAH continues to raise much needed awareness and funds to help people who suffer from heroin addiction and are actively seeking treatment.

Each year, HAH holds an annual rid and car show and other fundraisers in the county to provide financial support to centers that provide treatment for men, women, and babies.

To date, HAH has generously contributed over $11,000 to Mercy Health – Anderson Hospital’s Special Care Nursery. These donated funds allow Mercy to better care for infants suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome. Newborns suffering from NAS need special attention and developmental care supplies and often spend many weeks in the special care nursery.

Thanks to the generosity of HAH, Mercy can purchases addition swings, sound machines, projectors, and other infant-appropriate toys that help soothe them or give them something of interest to focus on as their visual acuity improves over time.

Sometimes the only way these infants can sleep is in a swing, so these much-needed items become essential to the care of our babies.

Mercy is grateful for HAH and their continued support of the Special Care Nursery.

To date HAH has raised over $100,000.00.

All proceeds are split evenly between two local recovery facilities as well as Mercy Hospital Anderson Special Care Nursery.

Susan Newell, representative with the HAH, said they choose organizations that are best serving the community in helping the babies born addicted to opioids as well as the addict themselves, to return to a normal lifestyle. The recovery centers help the addicts in a 12-step recovery program, job training as well as job placement. This year Newell said they have chosen The Gateway House for men and Juliette’s Hope for women as recipients of funds raised.

Newell said their main objective is to raise awareness and stop the opioid epidemic, but they also know that recovery doesn’t always happen.

“The reality is that people are still dying every day from a drug overdose. Because of that, at our event on August 10 this year, we are going to have an ‘In Loving Memory’ banner listing the names of loved ones that lost their battle with addiction,” she said. “In less than 48 hours of posting this on our Facebook page, we received over 145 requests for names to be added. Unfortunately, we are sure that list will continue to grow.”

Kickstands go up at noon; all bikes are welcome. It’s $15 per rider and $25 with a passenger.

Registration is 10 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. at 1783 Ohio Pike in the village of Amelia (parking lot of Old Muenchens Furniture).

Mid-stop at Snappers in Ripley, Ohio.

The ride ends on Front Street in New Richmond for all day fun, which includes a car and bike show, with a $10 entry fee. Registration is 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. (enter on Western Avenue).

Awards are at 5 p.m. All makes and models welcome. Judging by Frank Marino/Line-X Team.

First Miss and Little Miss pinup contest! Show us your best family-friendly classic look!

Live entertainment includes:

2:30-3:30: Jason Richey
4:00-5:00: Hi-Fi Honey
5:30-6:30: Archer
7:00-8:00: Kenny Welch Band
8:30-10:30: Ron Fletcher and The Southern Edge Band.