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Blue Ridge, Ga. – Few things are as relaxing as a ride through the north Georgia mountains, and few things are as satisfying as knowing you helped provide a “Merry Christmas” for a child in need.
On Saturday, everyone has the rare opportunity to put the two together when the Fannin County Shop With A Cop program sponsors its annual Riding the Ridge. Sponsors of the event say, “Jeeps from all around will be riding the ridges for a Santa ‘Cause’.”
Proceeds from this annual fundraising event are used by Shop With A Cop to buy Christmas gifts for Fannin County youngsters. At the same time, Riding the Ridge brings jeep enthusiasts, family and friends together for a worthy cause.
Participants will gather at Fannin County Middle School, 4560 Old Highway 76, beginning at 9 a.m. There will be time for registration, and for the purchase of T-shirts and decals before pulling out between 10 and 10:30 a.m.
The registration fee is $30 per Jeep. T-shirts will be available for $15 to $18, depending on size and trail badges will be $20.
Midway through the ride, participants will stop and have the opportunity to enjoy a hotdog or hamburger plate lunch and take part in a raffle. Among the raffle prizes are oil changes, decals, a Riding the Ridge insulated tumbler, T-shirts, a lottery ticket basket, gift baskets and gift certificates.
All the proceeds from the lunch and raffle will go to Shop With A Cop. Participants should plan to allow four to five hours for the entire trip, which takes participants to Hawk Mountain, deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
“We have had as many as 80 jeeps attend this event in the past,” organizers said. “Our goal is to make it 100-plus this year.”
Fundraising for Shop With A Cop takes place all year long. Anyone wishing to make a donation can drop it off at the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office on West Main Street behind the courthouse. For details, call 706-633-4070.