Around 200 participants showed up to bike in this year’s River Ride through the scenic bike paths of Lima along the Ottawa River.
Jacob Espinosa
LIMA —Around 200 participants showed up to bike in this year’s River Ride through the scenic bike paths of Lima along the Ottawa River.
Youth for Christ of Northwest Ohio organized the 15th edition of the annual event, which saw participants riding on 50 and 62.5-mile rides, a 20-mile ride and a 10-mile ride to finish the day.
“I thought it was great,” Joe Suter of Pandora said. “I was a little worried it might be too hot or rainy and it’s turned out to be beautiful. The bike path is well-marked and we’re having a lot of fun and meeting new people.”
For organizers Jared Diller and Junior Ramos, organizing the event for a 15th year was familiar, but the weather presented a challenge.
Fortunately, the event went well and carried through on their promise to provide a safe, family-friendly activity and to raise money for Rally Point Youth Center.
According to the youth center’s website, its mission is to provide Lima teenagers in grades six through 12 who have little positive guidance, low self-esteem and no ambitions with a safe, positive and drug-free environment.
“It’s such a good cause and it impacts lives in the Lima community through caring Christian adults,” Diller said. “That’s the reason we show up.”
For Suter and other riders, the event was a great excuse to enjoy time with their family, as well as to support an important cause.
“I think I hope people are getting the same thing out of this that I am, which is supporting Rally Point and having a good time doing it and getting some exercise,” Suter added. “I have never been on that section of the bike path and it’s gorgeous. I highly recommend it.”
Ramos said that a lot of credit for the event deserved to go to volunteers and that putting on something like this is a reward in itself.
“I don’t think there is anything we do here that isn’t worth it,” Ramos said. “When we organize something like this, there’s a lot of work to it, but at the same time it’s rewarding because we understand who we’re doing it for and why we’re doing it.”
For more information on the youth center and Youth for Christ, visit the Youth for Christ website.
For more information on the Ottawa River Bikeway, visit jampd.com.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
