Top Gun

The 2009 Top Gun Ride for Children took place on April 25th, and what an amazing day it was! This was the event's 7th year, and quite possibly the best one yet! Nearly 500 motorcycles and hundreds of other participants gathered to ride the runway.

From very early on in the day, we were blessed with beautiful weather. Riders gathered at Hooters in Kennesaw for registration where there was also music, vendors, a silent auction, and a raffle. One lucky raffle ticket buyer won a weekend stay at the New Orleans Marriot, including round-trip tickets from AirTran! Afterward, the participants departed Hooters and were taken on a scenic ride through Cobb County, ending at Naval Air Station Atlanta. The motorcycles rode down the runway in a seemingly endless procession. It was quite a sight!

At the Marine Hangar of NAS, participants enjoyed dinner provided by several generous local restaurants: Atkins Park, Zucca, Hooters, Mellow Mushroom Kennesaw, Williamson Bros. Catering, Kenny's Pies, and Glaceau Vitamin Water. During a particularly poignant moment, an MIA/POW ceremony was led by one of the Marines. Captain Chuck Mingonet also shared some words of reflection with the crowd.

Overall, a little over $30,000 was raised from the event! This money will go toward ensuring Georgia's children in need have a place to call "home" here at The Center for Children & Young Adults. In addition, funds will help the Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation who provides emergency relief to the families of our local military.

We at The Center would like to thank everyone involved in making this day such a success! It was truly a group effort and would not have been possible without all the hard work and dedication put in by everyone. Thank you to the committee members, sponsors, food vendors, volunteers, ride participants, auction donors, and the wonderful people at Naval Air Station Atlanta. A very special thank you also goes to Brian Newsome and Mike Worley who took on the enormous task of co-chairing this year's event!