Saturday, the Blue Knights MS IX will host a motorcycle ride to benefit March for Babies, a program sponsored by the March of Dimes.
According to the March of Dimes website, the mission of the foundation is to prevent birth defects, infant mortality and incidents of premature birth.
The Blue Knights MS IX is the local chapter of Blue Knights International, the largest non-profit law enforcement fraternal motorcycle organization in the world, Blue Knights MS IX President David Ervin said.
The group has 20,000 plus members, who are active or retired law enforcement officers, in 29 different countries, Ervin said.
The local chapter has 14 members from Hancock, Pearl River County and the Picayune Police Department.
Since the local club’s inception in 2006, members ride their motorcycles in support of many local charity situations, Ervin said.
They ride for local families struggling with medical expenses, cops recovering from health problems and in support of law enforcement needs, he added.
This is the first year the local chapter will host a run for March for Babies.
“We have some members who have had issues with premature birth and decided that would be a good thing to support,” Ervin said. “Forty thousand babies are born in Mississippi each year. Seven thousand are born prematurely and 1,200 are born with birth defects. The money raised is to used to help in those situations.”
Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Jack Read Park on Goodyear Boulevard in Picayune. The ride, or “kickstands up,” occurs at 10 a.m.
The event is open to all riders and costs $20 per motorcycle.
Ervin said the route includes paved back roads and will last about two hours and end at Jack Read Park.
Riders can register on the day of the event, Ervin said.
For more information about the ride contact Ervin at 601-337-4050.
“It’s a very worthy cause and we are hoping for a good turnout,” he said. “I can’t think of a more important thing than our children.”