Ride for Hope raffle features special Harley-Davidson
To ride or not to ride?
Bikers think that is a stupid question. So, if you are a biker at heart, and the only thing keeping you from the open road are the wheels, here is your chance to own a HOG.
For the first time, Ride for Hope, a 501(c)(3) ovarian cancer awareness motorcycle ride and celebration conceived and organized by JuliAnne Scully, a 39-year ovarian cancer survivor and owner of JuliAnne's Hair in Roselle, is selling raffle tickets to win a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
The 2012 Heritage Softail Classic was donated by the family of Linda "Jo" Giovannoni, co-founder and publisher of Harley Women's magazine, who fought hard and lost her battle with cancer last year.
Giovannoni was an inspiration to all riders, especially women, for over 40 years. In 1991, Giovannoni was featured in the documentary film about women riders called "She Lives to Ride," directed by Alice Stone, that debuted at the Art Institute of Chicago.
In 1996, she was inducted into the American Motorcycle Hall of Fame. In 1998, she was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame and became the fifth woman, inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Giovannoni's family generously donated the bike in the hope that funds raised will help the four 2023 Ride for Hope recipients with medical bills, experimental treatments, prescriptions and other costs not covered by insurance.
In 2015, its inaugural year, Ride for Hope raised $25,600. Since then, Ride for Hope has raised an additional $215,574.
"What started as a way to help the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition create awareness for the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer has grown into a community event - with riders from many clubs and participants from all over the area - to raise money for local women in their fight for survival," Scully said.
"This year, our goal is to raise $100,000, and monies from the sale of these tickets will help greatly."
The bike, which has just 27,588 miles, is currently on view at Woodstock Harley-Davidson, 2235 S. Eastwood Drive, in Woodstock. Tickets are $20 each or six tickets for $100. Tickets are available online at the Ride for Hope Venmo page, venmo.com/u/RideForHope-OvarianCancerAware.
The winner will be picked at 3 p.m. on June 11, during the 2023 Ride for Hope after-party at Moretti's Ristorante and Pizzeria, 1175 W. Lake St., in Bartlett.
Riders and nonriders are welcome to attend the party from 1-4 p.m., following the 50-mile scenic, escorted ride that begins at and returns to Moretti's.
Event registration for the ride and after-party is $35 and open now at the Ride for Hope page, rideforhope2023.eventbrite.com. The after-party features a silent auction, box drawings, a $1,375 Teal Chopper Gift Card raffle, a Split the Pot raffle, the Teal Marketplace, a Ride for Hope T-shirt Quilt raffle, the Survivor's Tent with LMS Comfort Dogs, an opportunity to sign the life-size teal survivor ribbons, vendors to browse and shop, and this once in a lifetime chance to win Linda "Jo" Giovannoni's 2012 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic.
To join the 2023 Ride for Hope TEAL family of volunteers, donate, or learn important information about the early warning signs of ovarian cancer, visit www.rideforhopeil.org.