OCEAN CITY — RGF Environmental Group, First State Marines and The Town of Ocean City held their first annual Semper Fi Bike Ride on the Boardwalk last month.
The event, which raised more than $10,000, was not a race but a family-friendly Fun Bike Ride open to all ages and all types of non-powered bicycles. The environment was healthy and keeping with Ocean City’s COVID rules. Participants enjoyed a festival like setting, keeping with Ocean City’s goal for a bike friendly community. Ocean 98’s Bill Fuhrer, DJ Stevie J and DJ Magellan spun tunes along with live music from the First State Detachment’s own, One Night Stand Band. Paul Turner from WBOC was on hand to report on the event and festivities. There were games and prizes for the best decorated bike and the most funds raised by a bike team.
The event was a huge success with over 150 individual riders, pairs of riders and family and business-sponsored bike teams enjoying this first ever event. Riders brought their own bikes or rented a bike to ride from one of the event’s sponsors, Bike World.
After a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, the American Legion Post 166 Color Guard led the parade of riders with Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and Councilman Tony DeLuca leading the pack. Bikers enjoyed a nearly five-mile ride on the length of the Boardwalk along the Atlantic Ocean returning to the Ocean City Inlet.
The many event sponsors included RGF Environmental Group, The Town of Ocean City, North Bay Marina, Bike World, i.g. Burton, Office Partners, North American Marketing, the Ocean City Elks Club, Morgan Associates, Live Wire Media & Events, Sage Financial, Engel & Volkers Annapolis, Fenwick Island Bike Shop and Mission BBQ.
The event was a fundraiser benefiting the “Semper Fi & America’s Fund,” which provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. The funds raised at this year’s Semper Fi Bike ride will provide much needed relief to those military families in need assistance.