Chappy's Ride Saturday to benefit Hope's Way efforts

The fifth annual benefit ride, "Chappy's Ride for Hope," is set for Saturday, Sept. 28, starting from Nucor Steel near Whitesville in southeastern Montgomery County.

Proceeds from the ride will benefit Hope's Way in northeastern Putnam County.

A car show, lunch and sign-in will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday in the maintenance administration parking lot at Nucor. The ride will start with kickstands up at 1 p.m.

The ride is held annually in remembrance of Jeff Chapman.

Chapman, who worked at Nucor for 20 years, was 45 when he died of a heart attack in February 2009. His friends and co-workers wanted to do something in his memory, so they have organized the annual benefit ride that makes a stop in Covington where Chapman lived.

Donations are being accepted to help cover the cost of the ride, lunch, dinner and prizes. Donations can be sent to: Nucor Steel, Chappy's Ride, 4537 S. Nucor Rd., Crawfordsville, IN 47933.

Organized in January 2002, Hope's Way is a not-for-profit recreation center in Putnam County that serves 19 counties in central Indiana.

Its mission is to provide a cost-free place of recreation and respite for special needs children, families of deployed military, Wounded Warriors and veterans.

Children enjoy such activities as pony rides, petting zoos and hay-rides and are able to enjoy and learn the value of spending and saving money through activities such as panning for gold and spending it at shops located within Hope's Way own western town, Glory Town.

Hope's Way is operated solely by volunteers and donations. Its latest goal is to fund the building of a barn for use by Wounded Warriors and veterans in having a peaceful setting for healing.