Mark Your Calendars for Ride/Walk to Leave a Light On Supporting Community Organizations

The Ride/Walk to Leave a Light On will return to Woodstock, Illinois for the third year on Friday, June 16.  Folks will gather on Woodstock Square beginning at 7:30 pm with the ride starting in the gloaming at 8:40.

The event is presented by Material Things Artisan Market on the Woodstock Square Historic District to support our local community organizations—CASA of McHenry County, Live4Lali, Woodstock Pride, Illinois Migrant Council, Stairway to Prosperity, The Break, and Compassion 4 Campers by purchasing colored light strings that correspond with each organization. All proceeds go to them. Each string is $9.00

Lights:

Purple-Live4Lali

Gold-Crystal Lake "The Break"

White- Illinois Migrant Council

Multi Color- Woodstock Pride

Red- CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

Green- Stairway to Prosperity

Blue- Compassion 4 Campers

You can sign up to ride with the organization of your choice and solicit sponsors for your participation.

The ride route wends its way through the neighborhood streets of Woodstock beginning and ending at the Square.  It is not a race or competition, just a pleasant ride.  There will be musical entertainment on the bandstand as riders and walkers return to the Square.

Light strings can be purchased at Material Things, 114 W. Calhoun Street, directly from benefiting organization, or on-line.  And check out the Facebook event.

 

Pedaling to Help in Woodstock—Ride To Leave a Light On

A rider and light festooned bike at a previous Ride to Leave a Light On event.

It looks to be a warm, pleasant evening this Saturday, September 11 at 6:30 pm in Woodstock, Illinois for a special bicycle ride through the streets and neighborhoods of charming city.  It will be neighbors helping neighbors at the Ride To Leave a Light On As a Beacon for Others.  Sponsored by Ken West’s Material Things shop the bike ride will raise funds for local organizations that support community members who are struggling in one manner or another. 

This year those organizations will include New Directions Addiction Recovery Services;  Live4Lali which “works to reduce stigma and prevent substance use disorder among individuals, families, and communities, and minimize the overall health, legal and social harms associated with substance use”; CLBreak, a Crystal Lake teen center; Illinois Migrant Council; the Community Foundation for McHenry County; CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) of McHenry County; and Compassion for Campers which provides gear and supplies to the unhoused.

Folks can support any or all of these great causes by purchasing strings of lights for $10 each to decorate bicycles and riders and, of course, by riding.  Strings can be purchased from participating organizations, from Material Things using this link, or the evening of the event.  You can designate your purchase to support any of the organizations or to be split evenly by all.

Strings and information on the organizations will be available on Woodstock Square beginning at 6:30 as riders gather.  There will be opening remarks and instructions beginning at 7, and the ride will set off at 7:20.  Ride is approximately  4.5 miles on level terrain and take 45 to 50 minutes.  When riders return to the Square there will be live music by Big Fish.

It promises to be a family friendly, joyous evening for riders, supporters, and folks out and about around the Square.

Material Things, a fine crafts artisan market at 103 East Van Buren Street on the Square is donating the lights for sale.