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2017 Anchor House Ride for Runaways raises $547,000

The 2017 Anchor House Ride for Runaways has raised $547,000 for the Trenton-based shelter for runaway, neglected and abused kids and teens.

Despite a drop in participation in the the ride this year, the average amount raised per cyclist was the highest ever in the history of the ride, Anchor House Foundation President John Murray told ride participants at a gathering this week in Trenton.

Next year will be the 40th anniversary of the annual 500-mile bike ride that raises money to fund a significant portion of Anchor House’s programs. Last year, 146 cyclists and 33 support crew members participated in the ride.

Organizers announced that the 40th anniversary ride will take place from July 7 to July 14, 2018. The ride will begin in Harrisonburg, Va. Cyclists will bike to Winchester, Va., Frederick, Md., Gettysburg, Pa., Lancaster, Pa., Lansdale, Pa., and arrive back in Pennington the final day of the seven-day ride.

Applications for riders and support crew members will be available on the Anchor House website on January 15. The ride is likely to fill up fast because of the anniversary, organizers said. Riders at all levels are welcome to join the ride. All that is required (in addition to a bike and gear) is the time to train and collect donations for the shelter.