The four-day, 335-mile "Pedal Out Polio" bike ride, which is starting Saturday in Renovo, Clinton County, will make brief stops in Elysburg, Shamokin and Mount Carmel on Monday.
Rotary is still accepting riders for the event. They will be required to wear helmets, sign an entry/waiver form, make a minimum $25 donation to the Rotary Foundation for each day they plan to ride and be responsible for any overnight lodging and for making return transportation arrangements.
Riders may join the tour at any departure point and leave when they choose. Signatures of parents or guardians are required for participants under 16.
The third day of riding begins at 9 a.m. in Danville. Riders will travel 9.2 miles on Route 11 to Bloomsburg, where they'll make a stop at 9:45 a.m. at Rotary Pavilion in Bloomsburg Park. From there, the group will ride 12.4 miles to Berwick, then 27 miles on Route 487 to Elysburg, with a stop at First Columbia Bank, 119 Northumberland Drive, at approximately 1:30 p.m. From there, the riders will come to Shamokin, where local Rotary members will greet them at the municipal parking lot off Independence Street, east of the post office, at about 2 p.m. The public is invited to stop by, too.
Riders are due to arrive at a scheduled rest stop at the Silver Bowl stadium in Mount Carmel at approximately 2:45 p.m. Members of the Mount Carmel Rotary Club and affiliated high school Interact Club, as well as the community, are invited to join the brief reception and show their support.
After refreshments and a brief rest, riders will continue toward Ashland.
Frank Morrison, president of the Mount Carmel Rotary Club, invites the community to join in the fight against polio.
"This is a great opportunity for local bike enthusiasts to join the ride and community members to come out and show support," Morrison said.
The Rotary Club of Mount Carmel has pledged to pay the $25 registration fee for the first eight high school or college students to sign up through that club.
For more information or a registration form, visit www.rotary7370.org. Forms are also available at Union National Bank or Community Pharmacy in Mount Carmel.
Tuesday morning, the final day of the ride, participants will leave Ashland and, after various stops, end their four-day effort in Tamaqua.
Donations to help eradicate polio will be accepted at on-site locations or by mail using the online form on the district website. All donations are fully tax deductible and should be made payable to "The Rotary Foundation" with PolioPlus on the memo line of the check. Any gift of $1,000 or more will receive a special recognition from The Rotary Foundation.
On the Net: www.rotary7370.org.