Many motorcyclists are always looking for a good excuse to go on a ride, and an opportunity to do just that and also help children in need awaits this weekend.

The Children’s Centers Back to School Ride — being billed as a way to “show these kids the size of our biker hearts” — is scheduled Sunday, with Cooper’s Sports Bar on East Main Street in Pilot Mountain as the departure point.

In conjunction with the ride, donations of educational supplies are being solicited to aid residents of the Children’s Center of Surry and Yadkin.

Facilities in each of those locations, including one on Prison Camp Road at Dobson, house an average of six to 10 children, girls and boys, who range from 6 to 18 years old.

The kids can come from broken homes or have been victims of abuse or neglect situations, among other unfortunate circumstances.

“Sometimes they can just be there for 24 hours and sometimes two or three years — it just depends on the situation,” Bethany Brown, a residential house leader with the Children’s Center organization, explained Monday.

The youths attend public schools and take part in campus activities, but their participation in after-school events is limited. The children do daily chores at the homes such as washing their own clothes, helping with washing dishes and other household tasks.

Money for “extras” can be in short supply, Brown said. “We don’t have a lot of funding — we’re grant-supported.”

But thanks to the efforts of individuals and businesses such as Cooper’s Sports Bar, a difference can be made in the children’s lives, Brown added.

“This just helps us,” she said of this weekend’s ride, the second to be hosted by the sports bar to benefit the Children’s Center of Surry and Yadkin. The business also has assisted with similar events, Brown said.

Various Supplies Needed

Examples of items that can be donated as part of this weekend’s benefit ride include money, gift certificates, clothes, paper, pens, pencils, color pencils, washable markers, tissues, hand sanitizer, notebooks, book bags, binders, pencil sharpeners, pencil pouches, calculators, food (popcorn, candy, soft drink flavoring, etc.) and bath items (such as shampoo, deodorant and lotion).

Donations can be dropped off at Cooper’s Sports Bar. A vehicle will be provided to transport the items to the centers.

A 50/50 drawing is planned before Sunday’s ride, for which registration begins at noon. Kickstands will go up at 1 p.m.

The ride — to be held rain or shine — will be about 100 miles, with two stops designated. A fee of $10 for the rider and $5 for a passenger will be charged. Food is to be served upon returning to the sports bar.

All money and school-related items will be divided between the two centers.

Brown said it is reassuring for center officials to know that the community is “behind you” with such events to support youths in need in this area.

Reach Tom Joyce at 719-1924 or tjoyce@heartlandpublications.com.