Around a dozen local bikers braved difficult conditions to collect donations for the annual winter charity motorbike ride on Saturday, May 28.
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Only the really committed bikers from the Bega Valley converged early on Saturday morning at Club Sapphire in Merimbula where they threw on their helmets and prepared to get soaking wet on a rainy and windy ride through to Target in Bega.
Although the wet weather meant there were only around a third of the number of participants compared to last year, one of the organisers, Glenn Cotter, said they still managed to raise around $900 in cash to donate on top of the huge haul of blankets.
“We can do all the organising and preparing in the world but there is nothing we can to about the weather,” Mr Cotter said.
“But overall it was a really pleasing event with a substantial outcome and we are really happy with what we have done considering the weather wasn’t on our side.”
A full car load of blankets was collected from the Merimbula Visitor Information Centre to add to the haul collected in Bega.
“There were some beautiful hand knitted blankets and the Cobargo Quilters also made some great quilts which Vinnies will raffle off to raise more money.”
Mr Cotter said the wet weather meant they didn’t collect as much money as hoped from the public during their walks up the main streets of Merimbula and Bega, but the corporate sponsorship from local business made up the difference, meaning this year’s ride was only just short of last year’s $1100 total.
The money, blankets and clothing were all presented to the St Vincent de Paul Society branch in Bega to assist people in need this winter.