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20th annual Cory’s Ride is ready to roll Saturday, rain or shine

Cory Golis

Area bicyclists and walkers will gather this Saturday, June 2, to raise money for a college scholarship program for students and to celebrate the memory of an area teen who strove to help other kids.

The 20th annual Cory’s Ride will be held this Saturday morning, June 2. Cory’s Ride raises scholarship money for young adults who are headed to college or are planning to attend a technical school. Scholarships are often given to students who have faced some sort of hardship. The ride honors the memory of Cory Golis, the Hopewell teen who died in 1998 in a cycling accident while raising money for Anchor House, the Trenton-based nonprofit that provides shelter and other services to children, teens and young adults.

Twenty years after Golis was struck by a vehicle and killed on the last leg of Anchor House’s annual week-long Ride for Runaways, he continues to influence young people’s lives through the scholarship program created in his memory. The event, an area tradition that draws more than 200 bicyclists of all ability levels, is sponsored by the Anchor House Foundation with the blessing and support of the Golis family.

“We’ve received a lot of pre-registrations for the anniversary ride and we are giving out a record amount of money this year — more than 29,000 dollars in scholarships,” said Jim Golis, Cory’s father. “We hope to see everyone there, rain or shine.”

The event will begin and end at Rosedale Park in Pennington and the cycling option is open to anyone 18 or older. Just bring a bike and a helmet. Cyclists can choose from 20-mile and 40-mile scenic Hopewell Valley routes. This year there are also walking options for those who don’t bike.

On-site registration for the ride and walk is from 7 to 10 a.m. Riders who want to do the 40-mile ride should start by about 7:30 a.m. Those who want to do the 20-mile ride should begin by 9 a.m. Walkers should register by about 10 a.m. The registration fee of $35 goes to the Cory C. Golis Anchor House Scholarship Fund. All participants receive a t-shirt and there is a picnic after the ride. The 2018 scholarship recipients will be named during the picnic, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Winners have been invited to attend. The park is located at 422 Federal City Road.

For further information about Anchor House or Cory’s Ride,  or to make a contribution to the Cory C. Golis Anchor House Scholarship Fund or Anchor House, contact the Anchor House Foundation at (609) 278-9495 or visit anchorhouseride.org or corysride.com.