Thanks for Riding for the Red Cross!

Thank you to more than 600 riders who made the 2007 Ride for the Red a success for the American Red Cross in Polk and Highlands Counties

Nicole Hearn of Winter Haven wins 2008 Honda Shadow Spirit from Honda of Winter Haven
Click here to see the 2007 promo page and sponsor list.
Click HERE to learn more about getting your own Ride for the Red T-shirt, Lapel Pin, or Kick Stand Coaster!
Get a bird's eye view of the start of the ride here, or view a video here, courtesy of Honda of Winter Haven.

(Photos by PHIL ATTINGER and LORIE JONES/American Red Cross)

Gerald Krotke (left), general manager for Honda of Winter Haven, holds up the winning ticket for a 2008 Honda Shadow Spirit 750, which was awarded to Nicole Hearn of Winter Haven, being hugged by Linda Scialo, event organizer for the Ride for the Red. In addition to giving away the motorcycle, Krotke said the dealership would pay Hearn's tax, title and tag fees, and purchase a safe motorcycle rider course for her.

Michele Medani (left photo) beckons pre-registered riders to get signed in and receive thermal cooler gift bags with a Ride for the Red commemorative pin, kick stand coaster, and T-shirt, which she and other volunteers (right photo) kept stocked behind the table.

Riders mount up and start rolling out at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at Honda of Winter Haven, for the start of the 2007 Ride for the Red.

Candace Hammond (from left) and Glenn Stokem get their ride tickets stamped by Red Cross volunteer Linda Haskins at Ridge Harley-Davidson/Buell in Lake Wales.

Diane and Dalton Morgan (left photo) ride out of Beef O'Brady's in Bartow on their vintage Honda. Meanwhile, Diane Winebold and Corey Higbee get their card stamped by Red Cross volunteer Jim Jones.

Always take time to stop and taste the doughnuts, as Kerry Curtis shows at Bartow Chevrolet, posing beside a customized Florida Gators chopper for sale.

Mike Thomas of Sebring takes a breather on the Circle before festivities at the monthly Sebring Bikefest.

Riders gather at Harbor Side Restaurant in winter Haven at the end of the Ride for the Red for hot food, live music, friends, fun, and the motorcycle drawing.

   The Ride for the Red keeps getting bigger and better each year.

   And who could ask for better weather than on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007? Sunny skies greeted the riders and passengers for the third annual running of the Ride for the Red to benefit the American Red Cross, serving Polk and Highlands Counties.

   As with last year's event, riders in the 2007 Ride for the Red could start in either Polk or Highlands Counties, but this time they had a choice of 10 stops to mix and match, and two choices of final stop: Harbor Side Restaurant in Winter Haven or the Sebring Bikefest on the Circle in downtown Sebring.

  In Highlands County, riders registered on the Circle with continental breakfast. In Polk, riders registered at Honda of Winter Haven, which in addition to volunteering to open the ride and provide continental breakfast, contributed a 2008 Honda Shadow Spirit 750 (candy-apple red with flame paint detail) as a drawing prize.

    The ride began in Highlands County with a send-off from an authentic Scottish bagpiper. Polk County riders stood at attention for the posting of the colors by members of Boy Scouts of America Troop 123, and then for the national anthem, sung by young vocalist Jillie Lindley.

   This year's event raised $29,200 ($800 shy of $30,000) which will provide much needed disaster relief and response.

   Riders who visited at least four stops and arrived at their chosen final stop before 4 p.m. had a chance at prizes for best, second-best, or worst poker hand, or for several door prizes prizes.

   When it came time to draw the winning ticket for the Honda Shadow, Volunteers tapped Cody Dowling, 8, who was dinning there with his family. When he did, Honda of Winter Haven gave the motorcycle away to Nicole Hearn, a waitress at Harbor Side Restaurant who had been serving Dowling's family that night.

   Nicole was so ecstatic that she could barely hold still, and nearly knocked event organizer Linda Scialo off the stage. Gerald Krotke, general manager of Honda of Winter Haven, then surprised everyone by announcing that not only would the dealership pay for Nicole's taxes, tag and title fees, but also a motorcycle safety course to prepare her to ride the motorcycle, since she'd never owed one.

   The American Red Cross Polk County Chapter thanks Honda of Winter Haven, and other presenting sponsors Harley Davidson of Lakeland, Ridge Harley-Davidson/Buell in Lake Wales, Hall Communications (Lakeland) and Cohan Radio Group.

   Lead Partners were Harbor side Restaurant, Jarrett-Gordon Ford in winter Haven, State Farm Insurance, Woodmen of the World, The Ledger, the News Chief, and the News-Sun.

   Easy Rider Mid-State Machine and Fabricating Corp. and Indian River Transport. Open Road partners were ArrMaz Custom Chemicals, Bill Jarrett Ford of Avon Park, Bright House Networks, Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, and Tampa Electric Company.

   Pack sponsors were Bartow Chevrolet, Bartow Regional Medical Center, Beef O’Brady’s of Bartow, Buckhead Beef Florida, CCC Group Inc., Federated Mutual Insurance , HD Supply, Heartland Sun Times, Killebrew Inc., Mosaic Four Corners Mine, Mosaic South Ft. Meade, and Motorcycle safety Training.

   “Riders wore their hearts on their handlebars,’” said Phil Attinger, Public Relations Director serving Polk and Highlands Counties.
   Scialo said both Harbor Side Restaurant and Honda of Winter Haven have expressed their desire to be a part of the event next year: "Everyone's looking forward to next year's event.”

   Got ideas on how to make the run more fun, please contact Linda Scialo at the chapter: (863) 294-5941 or via e-mail at linda@polkredcross.org.

This year's stops included: