A total of 170 motorcycles and about 300 participants took part in the Western Pennsylvania Ride for Kids Sunday starting and ending at Seneca Valley High School. The ride is a fundraiser for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and is intended to raise awareness of the number of children who are diagnosed with brain cancer.

JACKSON TWP — The 18th annual Western Pennsylvania Ride for Kids was held Sunday, beginning and ending at Seneca Valley High School with a barrage of 170 motorcycles.

The program, a national series of motorcycle rides that supports the work of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, was primarily held to raise funds, awareness and support to eliminate the challenges of childhood brain tumors.

The foundation's purpose is to fund medical research and family support programs with the intention of raising the survival rates for children who are diagnosed with brain tumors and improving their quality of life as they battle cancer.

Campaign Manager Holly Norton was in charge of helping to pull together this ride in addition to others like it in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and most of New England.

“Sunshine is always a good thing for a ride,” Norton said. “This was a good way to kick off the first ride of the season.”

Among about 300 participants were 10 stars, or children with brain tumors, who rode with some of the motorcyclists. Seven of the bikes also carried the stars' family members who were interested in joining the ride.

Read more about this story in Monday's Butler Eagle.