On any given Sunday in the spring, a motorcycle enthusiast can easily fi nd a ride to join. Pick your favorite biker bar or charity, and there’s likely to be a motorcycle event coming up. But not so for classic car owners. Gardner Altman wanted to be a part of the rides for charity that his biker friends participated in, but going on a poker run in a convertible just didn’t fi t.

“There’s not that many people that have rides for convertibles and muscle cars,” said Altman. As the lead organizer for Hogs & Rags Annual Spring Rally, Altman hoped that a ride with both cars and motorcycles could accomplish even more than either could alone. The combination seems to be successful.

“We had about 300 plus riders and drivers last year, and we gave $15,000 to our charities,” explained Altman. Now in it’s fi fth year, Hogs & Rags is a sanctioned event of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. The ride will take place on Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds from the annual event benefi t the Autism Society of North Carolina, the American Cancer Society and Our Kids Can Read Foundation. All makes and models of motorcyles, trikes, muscle cars and street rods are welcome to participate and enjoy the escorted ride from Fayetteville to North Myrtle Beach.

With more than 300 folks on motorcycles and in cars, safety is a top priority for event organizers. There is a police escort for the entire ride and safety briefi ngs are given before the ride begins. The Cape Fear HOG (Harley Owner’s Group) Chapter will provide a detailed group riders course and safety briefi ng, along with a briefi ng from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s department.

“We give them a safety briefi ng and it covers the route, hand and arm signals and how to ride safely as a group,” according to Steve Adams, with the Cape Fear HOG Chapter. “On big rides like this, you have people coming from all different backgrounds. Not only do you have Harley peole, you have non-Harley owners. You are going to have sport bikes and other bikes on this ride too, and they don’t typically ride in a formal group.”

“We want to emphasize safety,” said Altman. “It’s a safe ride for the bikes and the cars.”

The mission, in addition to providing a safe and enjoyable ride for motorcyclists and car drivers, is to raise money for charitable organizations that effect the lives of many in our community. Proceeds from the Hogs and Rags rally are distributed to three organizations.

The Autism Society of North Carolina assists those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which refers to a group of developmental disabilities. Classic autism, Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD) and Asperger’s Syndrome affect a person’s ability to understand what they see, hear and otherwise sense.

The American Cancer Society has as its goals prevention of cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer. The organization fi ghts cancer through balanced programs of research, education, patient service, advocacy and rehabilitation.

Our Kids Can Read was founded in 2006 as an independent private charity organized to improve literacy among America’s youth. OKCR strives to increase literacy in our nation’s youth by providing support to various early learning and literacybased initiatives across the country that instill strong reading skills and good character traits.

Registration fee is $50 per entry / $30 per additional rider. Entrance fee covers a collector’s T-shirt, hot breakfast at Rockin-ARanch, police-escorted rally to North Myrtle Beach and lunch at 2001 Niteclub.

Registration (and coffee) starts at 8 a.m. at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville. Departure is at 8:30 a.m. heading to Altman’s farm, Rockin-A-Ranch in White Oak, where a full hot breakfast will be served. At 11:30 the group departs from the ranch, stopping for a pit stop in Tabor City, and then on to 2001 in North Myrtle Beach. The ride concludes with a buffet lunch by Bimini’s, entertainment and a silent auction. Riders can stay in Myrtle Beach on their own, or return to Fayetteville to enjoy the other festivities of the Dogwood Festival weekend.

Registration and contributions can be handled on the Web site at www.hogsandrags.com or call 910-222-8184 for more information