Bill and Marylee Beveridge, of Butler, along with their dog, Ellie May, park their motorcycle at the Lyndora American Legion Post 778 in Butler Township ahead of Riding For The Cure on July 27. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Lynda Kerr started the local Riding for a Cure cancer fundraiser bike ride in 2012, mainly to help people like her friend Debi Bell. Bell was diagnosed with breast cancer three years prior, and found her expenses had gone through the roof within months — and her insurance didn’t cover all of it.

Twelve years after it began, Riding for a Cure has raised nearly $500,000, including roughly $16,000 at the most recent event in July.

The money raised so far this year is a marked improvement over the 2023 event, which saw low turnout due to poor weather and pulled in only $12,000.

Each year’s route ride is different. This year, the ride started and ended at American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora, Butler Township, passing by several Butler County businesses along the way.

“Our second stop was the Belmont Bar,” said board member Heather Dickison. “The third stop was the Beer Garden (in Petrolia), and then St. Cloud (Hotel), and Millerstown Inn, and then the Legion.”

All proceeds from the event go toward paying for whatever cancer patients at Butler Memorial Hospital need.

“We distribute (proceeds) through Butler Memorial Hospital. We pay for halos, we pay for groceries, we pay for chemo, medication … anything a cancer patient would need during their treatment,” Dickison said. “Cancer patients have to choose between paying for their electric bill or chemo. We pay for the electric, and we pay for chemo.”

In addition to the ride, the organization raises money for the better part of the year, with “Bike Nights” held every other week at the Sons of Italy between the spring and the end of September.

This year, the organization was called into action again to help young Aiden Bartley, of Butler, who was facing a two-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. Batley, 11, died Sept. 17.

Six days later, a group of bikers held a ride in Bartley’s memory, from Fast and Fair Auto Repair to Spencer D. Geibel Funeral Home, where the viewing for Bartley was taking place.

“Last September we had a benefit for him at the Beer Garden,” Dickison said. “This year we held a candlelight vigil.”

Riding for the Cure is holding one more public event before the end of the year — the 10th annual “Shop Party” on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Speedfreak Motorsports on East Butler Road. All proceeds will benefit Riding for a Cure.

Lynda Kerr, president of Riding For the Cure, talks about the history of the event at Butler Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Support Services in September 2022. Butler Eagle file photo