Ian Hannafin, 17, and his 14-year-old sister, Fiona, are at it again. They are organizing the fifth annual Parkton Kids Ride on the Bike & Hike Trail to raise money for cancer research. The Aug. 19 bicycle ride goes 14 miles, from Freeland to Parkton and back on the trail.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the ride begins at 9 a.m. Cost is $10 per rider and the ride is open to those 6 years old and up.
They have arranged for a school bus to be at the halfway point to take younger riders who can only manage seven miles back to Freeland
The Hannafins have raised $15,000 since 2008. Their goal is to have 100 riders participate in this year's event.
"This ride is a ton of fun," Ian said. "People are surprised to see it's put on by kids, but we're very organized."
The Hannafin family, originally from Massachusetts, volunteered for the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge - a bike-a-thon that raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer institute - after a friend died of cancer.
When they moved to Maryland, the two Hannafin children organized a bike challenge in 2008. It has since grown to include raffle items, sponsors and a barbeque for all who complete the ride.
The Hannafins are still looking for adults to volunteer to be crossing guards, handle water stops or ride along. They also urge riders to pre-register, since they receive a corporate grant to help pay for food based on the number of pre-registrations.
For details or to register, go to http://www.kids.pmc.org/parkton.aspx.
