By CAROLYN CARY
ccary@thecitizennews.com

The Gold Wing Road Riders Association, Chapter P, Fayetteville, took first place in funds turned in for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

Forty members rode their motorcycles to Helen participating in the “Ride For Kids,” conducted each year on the first Sunday in June. They were among 1,200 motorcyclists who made the trip from North Point Mall to Helen.

Chapter director Bob Wakeham accepted on behalf of the 80 members of Chapter P, who together raised just over $25,000 over the past year. Last year they took second place with $15,000.

In addition to the first place award, the chapter will get to be first in position at the head of the line in next year's ride.

Allen Hughes, national ride coordinator for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, said that Georgia turned in a total of $244,432. He said that this ride was one of 19 throughout the United States over a year's time.

He explained that the first ride was in 1984 in Atlanta and at that time children diagnosed with brain tumors had an average of only three months to live. Seventeen rides later, with several million dollars going toward research, the average child can live for just over three years, giving more time for doctors to effect a cure.