Bike Ride 08 (Download Donation Form/Online Donation)
Ryan is proud to announce the Fourth Annual Charity Bike Ride in conjunction with the Corporal Christopher Kelly Willis Foundation (CCKWF). Ryan is the leading tax services firm in North America, with the largest transaction tax practice in the United States and Canada. This year the Riders will journey by bicycle 240 miles beginning in Lapeer, Michigan on Thursday, September 25th. They will proceed to ride around the Thumb of Michigan, finishing on Sunday, September 28th. See page 3 for route details.
Proceeds from this year’s charity ride will benefit the CCKWF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Kalamazoo. The foundation was formed in honor of a beloved Marine, Corporal Christopher Kelly Willis USMC, and provides Great Rewards for Great Warriors. Previous rides generated proceeds in excess of $16,000 and $20,000, respectively and provided soldiers and their families with vacation trips, tickets to professional sporting events and other gifts for their service to our great nation; along with providing educational supplies to a local elementary school in Iraq. The mission of the Fourth Annual Charity Bike Ride is to continue to perpetuate the memory of Corporal Christopher Kelly Willis by fostering and contributing to the welfare of those things in life he loved and cared for the most, the world's children and the United States Marines.
The majority of the funds raised through this year’s charity bike ride will be used to create a trust fund in honor of those soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation. Specifically, the CCKWF is establishing scholarships for the benefit of children who have lost their parent (or whose parent has been permanently disabled) in combat. These children have also given the ultimate sacrifice — please help the CCKWF in securing their future.