Kyle Petty Comes to Fernandina to Plan Charity Ride

Local details are still in the planning stages for this incredible "welcoming Party" that will be held on Friday, May 13, 2011

Kyle Petty, auto racing icon, a champion of philanthropy and one of the most popular personalities in all of sports, came to Fernandina Beach to firm up plans to make Amelia Island the final stop of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride in May. His group met with several key community leaders to present the event which was hosted here a few years ago when the group of bikers rode to the waterfront in the historic district.

When I spoke with Petty, he mentioned details of the last time he was here and the fun his riders had with members of the Fernandina Pirates Club. On that visit, the Pirate’s float was used as a stage where Kyle spoke to the gathering crowd before hitting the streets to celebrate the ride’s completion on Amelia Island.

This is the 17th Anniversary of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride that will start in Lake Placid, New York and end on Amelia Island. Motorcycle enthusiasts will pay $7,600 each to ride with Petty and other celebrities to raise money for Victory Junction, a medical camp in North Carolina dedicated to enriching the lives of children with medical conditions or serious illnesses such as cancer, hemophilia, spina bifida and epilepsy.

Since the inaugural event:
6400 riders have participated
9.1 million cumulative motorcycle miles have been driven
More than $13 million have been donated to Victory Junction and charities that support chronically ill children.

Local details are still in the planning stages for this incredible “welcoming Party” that will be held on Friday, May 13, 2011.

Another great motorcycle event hosted locally is the Last Leg Rally. All proceeds from the Last Leg Rally will benefit Anchors Aweigh Charters, Inc. of Amelia Island, Florida. This is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides fishing charters, free of charge to those with permanent physical and/or developmental disabilities as well as those diagnosed with a terminal illness.

The Last Leg Rally will be held in the park at Main Beach on Amelia Island, February 25, 26 and 27, with live music, vendors, bike show, car show and plenty of motorcycles!

For more information on either event visit www.LastLegRally or www.KylePettyCharityRide.com.