By Alex Demko-McDonough
Image courtesy of Cranksgiving Philadelphia
On Saturday, November 16th, the Annual Cranksgiving Ride charity event will return to Philadelphia for its ninth consecutive year. Starting at Penn Treaty Park and wrapping up at the venerable Tattooed Mom, the 9th Annual Cranksgiving Ride will see riders travel from store to store purchasing food, and racking up points.This event is free to register and you can choose your own pace. If you aren’t in a racing mood, feel free to leisurely bike your way to the finish line. Working with Philabundance, a Philadelphia-based hunger relief organization that serves over 90,000 in the region each week, riders will be collecting enough food to provide a Thanksgiving meal for those who wouldn’t otherwise receive one.
Free registration begins at 11:00 AM, with riders starting their journeys at noon. Upon reaching Tattooed Mom, riders can expect a warm reception with a small Awards and Thank You ceremony starting at 4:30 PM. Riders are asked to bring the following; a bicycle, bike helmet, a bike lock, a way to carry groceries, money to purchase groceries, and of course, a charitable attitude. This event has been an incredible success story having raised close to 15,000 pounds of food and over $10,000 in monetary donations directly benefiting Philabundance’s relief efforts.
If you aren’t in Philadelphia, don’t worry! Berks, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties will be hosting just a few of the many Cranksgiving events in Pennsylvania this year, giving those outside the city the chance to pitch in to combat hunger.
Check out the Official Cranksgiving Philadelphia Facebook page for more information.