We are honored to be the Corporate Luminary Sponsor of the 2015 Ride for Missing Children-CNY. This is our 6th year as Luminary Sponsor, as this is a noble cause we’re very proud to support. The Ride for Missing Children is the biggest annual fundraiser for the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children – Mohawk Valley Office.

At the Mohawk Valley office, missing children alerts are received, and printed posters of missing children are sent out to specific geographic areas in the United States, Canada and Mexico, aiding the effort to recover missing children. Throughout the year, they conduct educational programs at schools and other educational facilities across New York State, as a way to prevent children from going missing. They also offer all-important hope and healing to families of missing children.

This year, 6 Volunteers and 10 Riders are representing First Source in the Ride. Above and beyond our Luminary sponsorship, our Corporate Riders raise additional funds on their own to support the Center.

Our corporate sponsorship, along with all corporate sponsorships for the Ride, are an invaluable source of underwriting for the Ride. They allow all Rider fundraising to directly benefit the Center’s mission of education and poster distribution.

We are honored to be a true partner of The Ride For Missing Children, helping to “Make our children safer…One child at a time.”

The Ride will be passing our New Hartford branch around 12:25 p.m. Friday, and we invite you to join us to cheer them on!

Julieann Maciag, one of our Financial Services Representatives, shares with us what the Ride For Missing Children means to her , as well as the emotions that she feels as she has trained for this 100 mile event.

The ride means a few things to me…  One, a way to start healing after my father’s passing in January.  Secondly, being a Mom, it would devastate me if something happened to MY son.  I can only imagine what these parents and abducted children are going through.  And lastly, I never forgot when Sara Ann Wood was taken.  I was devastated for her and her family.  I remember buying a button with her face on it.  I wore that button every day for the longest time.  A couple weeks ago I found it while cleaning out my storage unit.  Of all the years to rediscover it, I find it THIS year, the year I am a first time rider.  Since then, it’s been with me each time I get on my bike and will wear it the day of the ride in her honor.  So this year, I ride for Sara, My Son, and my Dad.

The words that describes my feelings about the big day, Anxious, Impressed, & Emotional.  I’m anxious about making the whole way.  I am really impressed by the experience, and camaraderie of the other riders, and the precision the Shepard’s work in effort to help you train.  And I am emotional as I remember each time I get on my bike, the real reason we are all doing this.  For the abducted children and their parents.

Our Executive Administrative Assistant Liz Crane, had this to say about participating in this year’s Ride For Missing Children.

“It’s been great meeting up again with Ride friends at training rides and meetings, but I am most looking forward to May 18^th when we all come together to focus on our purpose of spreading awareness of the missing and child safety.”

“Seeing the excitement of the school children is truly amazing; and meeting and riding with the families of missing children and even recovered children fills my heart with a type of compassion that is unlike any other.”

Lori Nichols, our HR Manager will participating in her 2nd Ride For Missing Children. We asked what the most important part of the ride is for her.

“This is my 2^nd year participating in the Ride for Missing Children and I am really looking forward to seeing all of the kids cheering us on at the schools.  Their smiles and excitement are so motivating and encouraging.  I want children to truly understand how important they are and that our mission is to keep them safe and protected from harm.

This day raises awareness in our communities and our schools and if we can help spread the word about our children’s safety, it makes it all worth it.  I look forward to the school stops where we can interact with the kids and have some great conversations! The entire day is such an inspiring and moving experience!”

First Source Federal Credit Union is a proud supporter and Luminary Sponsor for The Ride For Missing Children. We’d like to share some of the thoughts from our team members, whether they are first time riders or veterans, about what this event means to them.

What does this 100 mile Ride mean to you?

When I was first asked to participate in the ride, I wanted to immediately say yes but was still hesitant because I didn’t have a road bike nor did I think I could accomplish riding 94 miles!!! After very encouraging words from the First Source Riders in 2010, I was hooked and filled with excitement. Attending the pre-ride monthly meetings can be emotional yet so inspiring and uplifting. You realize how your efforts in fund-raising for this cause really pay off when you hear that a child has been recovered and it was because someone spotted a missing child poster. I am a mother of two beautiful children and could not imagine my life without them. I want to keep them safe and make other children’s lives safer. One of my favorite poems is the following: A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a CHILD.” This sums it up perfectly, I want to make a difference.

As a first time rider, what words describe how you are feeling about the big day?

I am really looking forward to the ride…..the words I would use to describe my feelings would be: Inspired, Nervous, Proud, Excited and Emotional. From what I hear, the children at the school stops are filled with energy and very excited to see all of the riders…this is what’s going to keep me going until the finish line.

How are you doing on the training rides?

I attended my first training ride this past weekend and completed 15.5 of the 18 miles. I did fall and got a little banged up but once I got myself back together, I got back on my bike and continued the ride to the end. I was feeling embarrassed but everyone kept encouraging me along the way and shepherds were riding alongside me to guide me with my shifting, etc. The more I ride, the more comfortable I feel and am looking forward to the upcoming practice rides.