EAST PHARSALIA – Planning and preparations are in full-swing and Heidee’s 6th Annual Memorial Cruise for Diabetes will be held Saturday, August 3, rain or shine.
Sign up for the ride begins at 9 a.m. the day of the event at Fred’s Inn, Route 12, in Norwich. The ride starts at 10:30 a.m. and will make a number of stops before ending at the Balsam Inn in East Pharsalia. The cost for the event is $15 per person.
Nancy Maclaury has been organizing the event after losing her daughter more than six years ago. Her daughter, Heidee Peterson, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of three, and she struggled with the disease until age 30.
Maclaury has hopes her diligent work with planning and holding the event each year will foster cognizance about diabetes, serve as a celebration of the life of her daughter, and be a method of raising funds for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
In the last five years, Maclaury has been able to raise $11,500, all of which is donated to the ADA. Her goal this year, she said, is to raise $4,000 after expenses.
“The ride has gotten bigger and bigger,” said Maclaury. “It would be really great to reach our goal.”
Riding a motorcycle is not required to participate in the ride or attend the event. Cars are welcome to cruise with the motorcycles, and people are welcome to meet at the Balsam Inn to take part in events there if they are not able to take part in the ride.
According to Maclaury, the first year the event was held, there were 35 riders, and the most there have been since the ride’s inception has been 68.
“I would love to see 100,” she said. “That would just be great.”
