Please support the Ride/Walk
to Leave a Light On, a fun, easy bicycle ride through the streets
of Woodstock, Illinois on Friday June 14. The event raises funds for organizations
serving the community including Compassion for Campers. To support the event volunteer to
ride and gather sponsors and buy color-coded string of lights—a
different color for each charity—to decorate bikes or yourselves. Strings are $9 each and all
proceeds go to the corresponding charity.
The Ride/Walk is an event for all
ages over an easy, level route through pleasant neighborhoods
beginning and ending on the Square. To
participate purchase one or more light
strings to support the eight organizations benefiting from the event.
Gathering and sales of strings begins on Woodstock
Square at 7 pm with an ice cream social and live music. with
the ride beginning after full dark about 8:40. As riders return to the Square music will continue
until 10 pm. Strings are available for $9
each from the beneficiary organization or $10 split between all of them or at Material
Things Artisan Market, a craft and art consignment shop at 103
East Van Buren Street.
Ride to Leave a Light on founder and sponsor Ken West in his Material Things Artisan Market in Woodstock.
The event is sponsored
by and is the brainchild and project of Material Things owner
Ken West, a tireless supporter of the community and
especially of its youth and by Community Connections For Youth which
provides arts related experiences to McHenry County youth.
A rider and bike festooned with lights
for the Ride. Each color light string supports a corresponding
community organization. This year Compassion for Campers will be blue.
This event comes at an
especially urgent moment for Compassion for Campers, the organization that provides
urgently needed gear and supplies for the McHenry County unhoused
who sleep outside or in cars and vacant spaces all or most
of the month. The gear is distributed
at the Community Empower Shower Event at Willow Crystal Lake at 100
South Main Street in Crystal Lake which is held on the first and
third Fridays of each month.
Direct money donations can be made to Tree of Life Unitarian
Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL
60050 by check with Compassion for Campers on the memo line or donate
online here using the drop down menu under “Give to Unpledged Donations.”
Another Tree of Life ministry,
Jail Brakers which provides support individuals and families with incarcerated
loved one is another beneficiary. Direct
donations can be made as outlined above.
Other great community assets
and organizations that will benefit from the Ride/Walk include: The Break teen center in Crystal
Lake, The Illinois Migrant Council, Live4Lali, Woodstock
Pride, and Stairway to Prosperity.
For more information stop
by Material Things, call Ken West at 815 954-3483, visit the Facebook
event.
