Reid's Ride to help fund brain tumor research

Reid Colliander and a dozen friends again are leading efforts to raise funds for brain tumor research at Children's Memorial Hospital.

The second annual Reid's Ride for Research will kick off at 8 a.m. Saturday. More than 100 kids will lead as many as 700 cyclists along a 5K route through downtown Glen Ellyn.

This year, if people want to bike a 10K route, they can simply double their route. And for the little ones on training wheels, there will be a 1K ride.

Reid, 12, was diagnosed with brain tumor five years ago and went through more than three years of rehabilitation. The survivor wanted to help others, too.

In 2005 he founded Reid's Lemon-Aid stand. By selling lemonade, he and his buddies raised more than $9,000 to help sick kids.

In total, Reid's team has raised more than $45,000 from lemonade stands and last year's bike-a-thon. This year, team members hope to collect up to $50,000. They're also trying to double their riders from 400 last year to 800 this year.

Ultimately, Reid would like to collect $1 million for research.

"I just want to help as many kids as possible," he said.

Reid's looking forward to this year's event being bigger and better.

"It started out as a dinky little lemonade stand from a baseball team, but now we're doing a 5K bike ride," he said.

Beth Fawcett, Reid's Lemon-Aid Foundation board member, said the group of participating children from Glen Ellyn and Wheaton has grown from about 40 kids to more than 100.

"They just really have a great time," she said. "They love being able to hand out the lemonade and getting to go first on the ride."

Reid's mom, Kathy Colliander, said the bike ride's important for two reasons.

"It's important to raise money to find out why children are getting brain tumors and what the long-term effects are," she said. "It's also important for kids to learn how to help others and really incorporate helping others in their daily lives."

The entire route, which starts at 420 Glenwood Ave., will be blocked off to traffic.

Fawcett said there will be food, entertainment, a silent auction, a speed pitching machine and a toddler train.

"More people are familiar with it," she said. "We've gotten a lot of positive comments from last year."

If you go

What: Second Annual Reid's Lemon-Aid Ride for Research

When: 8 a.m. Saturday

Where: Downtown Glen Ellyn

Cost: The first 750 people to register will get a T-shirt. $25 each for people ages 18 and older, $15 for ages 5 to 17 and free for children four and younger. The total family fee will not exceed $90.

For more information: Send e-mail addressed to ReidsLemonAid@gmail.com or call (630) 334-6091.