BUFFALO RIDE FOR MISSING CHILDREN
Event will raise awareness about the plight of missing children
by ANDREA KIMBRIEL Reporter

Physical education team leader Kris LaPaglia watches physical education teacher Matt Smart train on one of the school's bicycle simulators. The two are preparing for the ride in May. Photos by John Rusac. Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Come May 9, the physical education faculty of Heim Middle School will be hitting the road with the Buffalo Ride for Missing Children, held by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

They and up to 120 other riders will be traveling through much of Erie County on a 100-mile bicycle trip to raise funds and awareness about the cause.

The ride begins and ends at the South Campus of Erie Community College in Orchard Park and will extend through Buffalo, the Tonawandas, Amherst, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, Elma, Clarence, West Seneca and other communities.

Physical education teacher Rick Hopkins participated in the first Buffalo ride last year. After the school was chosen as one of the educational stops on the ride, the Parent Teacher Student Association was looking for staff interested in participating.

Rick Hopkins, a physical education teacher at Heim Middle School, with the 12-speed bicycle he plans to use in his second Buffalo Ride for Missing Children.

"They thought 'If there's someone who would want to ride 100 miles, it would be Mr. Hopkins,'" he said.

Hopkins rides his bicycle to school every day regardless of weather. The 10-mile round-trip ride is short compared to the 50 miles Hopkins will travel in May. He and physical education teacher Kris LaPaglia will split the 100-mile distance.

Hopkins said he is excited to support the cause and meet other cyclists.

Several schools on the route will hold rallies to reinforce the safety message. In 2007, Hopkins and the other riders were greeted outside the school by a cheering crowd of 600 students and Heim's faculty.

"I almost fell off my bike last year," he said. "I was ready for the ride. What I wasn't ready for was the overwhelming reception we got when we arrived here at Heim, which was pretty neat."

Riders are also escorted by local law enforcement during the entire ride.

Hopkins believes students are better educated about staying safe since the ride. Heim is on the list of schools to be visited this year as well, and students are already talking about the event, he said.

LaPaglia has been training for the ride every day.

"I can honestly say I've never ridden that far on the road," she said.

She explained why this particular cause is so important to her.

"I think it's just being around kids of this age. We're a big influence on their life," she said. She said as teachers, they try to teach children to make the right life decisions.

Physical education teacher Matt Smart agreed, saying middle school students need good role models because they begin to face difficult decisions and potentially dangerous situations.

The school also hosts an annual Fun Run to support the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"It's another example of promoting fitness and supporting a great cause," he said.

Kara Klaasesz is riding for the second time and also convinced her boyfriend to participate this time. She is an athlete who will be doing her fourth Ironman Triathlon in Kentucky later this year. However, she said the Ride for Missing Children will be good for those who are not experienced cyclists.

"It was actually wonderful," she said. "I'm used to doing long-distance rides, but this is different because everyone rides together. It's a really doable ride for a really neat cause," she said.

The deadline for ride registration is May 1. Participants must pass a certification process after registering to ensure that they will be able to ride in correct formation. Training rides are offered to prepare them for the event.

Each rider must raise at least $250 for the cause. The Parent Teacher Student Association raises the necessary support for the Heim riders, said Smart.

Klaasesz owns Bella Day Spa in Hamburg. While it can be challenging to raise sponsorship money, her customers help. Last year, one client put $100 into her ride drop box.

"People are willing to give if you tell them what you're doing," she said.

Patti McLain, community educator for the Buffalo Office of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said proceeds from the event will go toward locating missing children and providing safety education.

"Every dollar that's raised by the ride turns directly into programming that's based here in Western New York," she said.

Volunteers are needed to staff the school rallies and complete other tasks. They must submit to a criminal background check before participating. For more information, visit the event Web site at www.rideformissingchildren.org. or call the Buffalo office at 842-6333.