The Niles Star

Hundreds come out for Burn Run

By KATIE JOHNSON
Niles Daily Star

Hundreds of bikers and non-bikers attended the Niles Burn Run Saturday and Sunday. The benefit was expanded to two days this year. It raised about $10,000 in 2009 for the Great Lakes Burn Camp.

Organizers expanded the annual Niles Burn Run by one day this year in the hopes of raising more money for the Great Lakes Burn Camp, a retreat for burn survivors ages 7-17 in Jackson, Mich.

Held Saturday and Sunday in downtown Niles, the event brought hundreds of motorcyclists and non-bikers to the area. Food vendors, live music, a dunk tank, fire truck pull, biker movie, swap meet, souvenir vendors, airbrushing demonstrations and contests were on hand.

The ride itself was held Sunday, leaving downtown Niles and traveling through 50 miles of Cass and Berrien counties while escorted by police and emergency services.

According to Lisa Myers, head of registration, about 800 people signed waivers last year to ride and about $10,000 was raised for the camp.

“We’re expecting to beat that,” she said Saturday. At least 100 bikers had registered for the Sunday ride by 1 p.m. Saturday.

Organized by the Niles Charter Township Fire Department, Niles was the first community to host a major Great Lakes Burn Camp fundraiser, in 2002. Another similar benefit was held in Kalamazoo recently.

“Once we started it, other ones started doing it too,” Myers said.