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Cyclists to raise money for sick fireman

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Representatives of several local businesses will rev up their engines Saturday and cruise through town to raise money for a Fayette County firefighter who is battling a malignant brain tumor.

The owners of Big Daddy’s Cycle World, BlackJack Motorcycles and Hangar 74 will team up to host a charity motorcycle ride for Fayette County firefighter Josh Warren.

“Josh has exhausted his annual and sick leave and currently has little, if any, income,” charity spokesman Jerry Pate said. “He can continue to maintain his health insurance and other benefits, but the insurance expense must be paid out of his pocket. This is where we will be helping him.”

Registration for the benefit will begin at 2:15 p.m. Sunday at Big Daddy’s Cycle World, 1850 Ga. Highway 85 South. Registration will begin at 1 p.m. Bikers will depart from Big Daddy’s at 2:15 p.m.

The bikers will ride through the streets of Fayette County, circle by several fire stations and end at Hangar 74 in Peachtree City. Hangar 74, a local restaurant and pub, is a co-sponsor for the event.

In addition to the bike ride, organizers will hold a raffle, a 50-50 drawing, and offer food and drink specials and games. All proceeds raised will benefit the Joshua Warren Assistance Fund, Pate said.

“Josh is currently at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, for treatment and really needs our help for his family at the holidays,” said Capt. Mitch Warren of the Fayette County Firefighters Benevolent Fund.

The men’s efforts will join those of county fire and emergency services personnel, who have been working to raise funds for Warren since September. Warren, a 25-year-old Henry County resident, was diagnosed with the brain tumor in August, said Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services Capt. Steve MacFall. To date, the department has raised $4,000, MacFall added.

“We’ve received several donations from several churches and several of the schools including Starr’s Mill and Whitewater Middle School,” MacFall said. Additional donations can be dropped off at any Wachovia Bank in care of Josh Warren, MacFall added.

County public safety workers held a pool tournament in Warren’s honor on Nov. 10, and more fund-raisers will be forthcoming, officials said.

“Our goal is to continue to get the word out around the holidays,” added Deputy Chief Allen McCullough. “People are looking for a good-will cause to be involved in, and this is a good one to be involved in. Josh is a good man.”

Warren, a six-year veteran, is admired and respected by all at the department, MacFall said. He said the incident has taken its toll on the men.

“It upset all of us, because when you spend every third day with someone.... It wasn’t like it happened to a coworker. It was like it happened to a brother,” MacFall said.

The money raised will be used to cover his $700 per month insurance payment, essential needs for Warren and his 4-year-old daughter, Haley, and hotel and travel costs to and from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, MacFall and McCullough explained.

MacFall said he is grateful Anderson Cancer Center chose him.

“We were really excited about him getting in over there,” MacFall said. “It’s one of the premier cancer treatment centers in the nation.”

McCullough said the news has made a difference in Warren’s attitude.

“I think this has lifted his spirit because now he knows there’s a place to give him some treatment,” McCullough said, adding he is confident Warren will recover. “He’s a fighter.”