By Jalen Maki
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor
TOMAHAWK – The 38th annual Tomahawk Fall Ride, held from Thursday, Sept. 12 through Sunday, Sept. 15, with events being taking place from Thursday through Saturday at SARA Park benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), raised $101,633 in critical funds to save and improve the lives of kids and adults with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related life-threatening diseases that severely weaken muscle strength and mobility. The total is down slightly from 2018, when roughly $117,000 was raised.
Highlights from this year’s Fall Ride include 9-year-old Evan Petersen, this year’s MDA State Ambassador, riding in a side car during the Friday Night Thunder Parade with Ben Powell of Harley-Davidson-Tomahawk Operations, and Michael Salisbury of Appleton winning the 2019 Harley-Davidson Vivid Black FLHTK Ultra Limited motorcycle raffled off at SARA Park.
“Tomahawk Fall Ride for MDA is currently northern Wisconsin’s largest Harley-Davidson fundraising event to benefit MDA,” a release from MDA states. “All money raised stays in the area to help local individuals and families living with one of the 43 neuromuscular diseases represented under the umbrella of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.”
The Fall Ride for MDA began in 1983, when about 300 riders on 160 motorcycles took part. Money was raised for MDA, Harley-Davidson’s charity of choice, through a $2 registration fee.
“Over the past 38 years, Tomahawk Fall Ride for MDA at SARA Park has brought together Harley-Davidson riders and H.O.G. Chapter members, partnering them with MDA client families and kids living with neuromuscular diseases,” the release says.
MDA notes that funds raised through the Fall Ride and contributions help the organization’s efforts “to fund groundbreaking research and programs support groups and more than 150 MDA Care Centers across the country, including the MDA Care Center at Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield and at Prevea Health in Green Bay. They also help send more than 80 local kids to ‘the best week of the year’ at MDA Summer Camp at no cost to their families at Salvation Army Camp Wonderland in Camp Lake Wisconsin.”
For more information about MDA’s services, contact the Green Bay MDA office at 920-499-4571.