By Amy Batista
Nearly 1,000 motorcycles will pass through downtown Hightstown as part of the annual America’s 9/11 Ride, which will be making its final ride Saturday, Aug. 20.
The America’s 9/11 Ride is about remembering the heroes, volunteers and victims who lost their lives Sept. 11, 2001, and since. The annual memorial ride takes place the third weekend in August, respecting each site and the survivors.
”This is the final ride and my wife and I have registered to join them,” said America’s 9/11 Ride Hightstown coordinator Paul Kocher on Sunday. “Lori and I are excited and honored to be joining the foundation on this final ride.”
According to Butch Budai, New Jersey contact for the America’s 911 Foundation, this year will be the final ride because of the challenging logistics of putting together the three-day event.
I would like to thank the people of Hightstown for coming out and supporting the ride each year. Hightstown has become the highlight of our journey from the Pentagon to New York City. It’s downtown U.S.A.,” said Mr. Budai.
He thanks Hightstown’s governing body, its businesses and the First Responders of Hightstown, East Windsor and Cranbury for their hospitality in welcoming riders into the community over the years.This year marks the 15th anniversary of the ride and the attacks on the United States. Riders come from all parts of the country to be part of the event.
”There will be several thousand bikes, including countless motorcycle police,” said Mr. Kocher, adding that he is hoping they arrive between 2 and 3 p.m.
The Leesburg-based America’s 911 Foundation hosts the annual ride for one weekend to raise money for the attack’s first responders and their families. It is the foundation’s biggest fundraiser.
Money raised through the sponsorship ride will be used to provide educational scholarships to the children of the 9/11 first responders.
The three-day ride lasts from Thursday, Aug. 18 through to Saturday Aug. 20, taking riders up and down the coast from the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. to their final destination to pay tribute at Ground Zero in New York City.
On Aug. 20, the ride makes its way north passing through downtown Hightstown on its way to New York City.
”A memorial service at Ground Zero is scheduled for Sunday morning,” said Mr. Kocher. “The ride is a three-day, 1,000-mile journey to all three crash locations and is the largest police escorted ride in the country.”
He said that he has several volunteers that will pass out flags and collect donations in Hightstown in his absence. Home Depot has once again donated the flags again this year.
Several years ago, Mr. Kocher created an event page on Facebook, America’s 911 Ride Downtown Hightstown, to help spread the word and it also was a place for people to share their thoughts and photos.
For more information on America’s 911 Foundation Inc., visit www.americas911ride.org.
