Most children love trick or treating, but for some, traveling through the neighborhood collecting sweet candies and snacks is not an option.
The second annual Mamon Halloween Ride for Children, planned for Oct. 28, is aimed at helping children with special needs enjoy Halloween.
Kaz Mamon, founder of this motorcycle ride and others is hoping for more than 100 children to attend the event, scheduled from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. in Depot Park.
‘If we can draw 200 kids, great. How do you say no to a kid,? Mamon said.
Halloween is the second biggest holiday of the year to children, he added.
Children will be served lunch at 11:30 a.m. and when the riders arrive at the park, the kids will be given not only candy, but activity books, puzzles and dictionaries.
‘Picture a big, burly biker wearing a ‘Blue’s Clues? outfit,? Mamon said.
‘It’s a neat thing to see that many people come together for the kids.?
Registration for riders will begin at 10:30 a.m. and there will be a $10 cost for participants. Riders are being asked to dress in costume and bring education supplies for the children. The 2005 ride had 123 riders involved, and Mamon said he is hoping for another similar showing this year.
The ride will begin at noon when the bikers will leave from the Ortonville village offices and make their way to the park.
Mamon said the city has been very welcoming to his idea, with the use of the park and offersof police assistance with traffic during the ride.
‘People have opened their arms within the city,? he said.
‘That’s a good thing to feel, that a community wants us back.?
Mamon said the idea for the motorcycle rides came while he was visiting the child of a friend at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. During his visit, he wondered how a child’s education could continue if they had to stay in a hospital.
The first motorcycle ride Mamon ever organized was in 1997, a trip down US-23 to a University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. Nearly 11,000 people came to support the cause and they raised more than $15,000 to help educate children who were in hospitals.
Mamon said he likes to organize two or three events annually for special needs children and in June he organized a free day at the Detroit Zoo.
Terry Adams of Lapeer, a friend of Mamon for nearly 10 years, assisted with the Zoo trip.
She will help serve lunch in the park for this event.
‘It really gives you a good warm feeling inside,? she said.
‘Everyone is so friendly and nice and this is for a special cause.?
Although she has known Mamon for several years, she never thought to ask him if he could use some help with an event.
‘As long as he’ll let me help, I’ll work them,? Adams said.
Mamon insists he would not refuse any help or donations offered for the ride.
‘If you don’t ride and want to help out, call me, we don’t say no to anybody.
Mamon can be reached at (586) 995-3500. For registration for children and riders, visit http://www.mamonride.com.