When a guy gets a Harley®, his first motorcycle, on his 40th birthday, it’s a nice story. When he rides that same motorcycle through 48 states ten years later for his 50th, it’s a great story. When that “once-in-a-lifetime” trip grows into a big annual charity ride, it’s something truly special.
But if not for a chance encounter with a thundering herd of Harleys at a gas station in 1998, this great ride for a great cause may never have become even a glimmer in Scott Ressmeyer’s eye.
The Miracle Riders are a group of men who enjoy riding their motorcycles and giving back to our community.
For the first 7 years the Miracle Ride traveled all of the lower 48 states in 21 days. In the 8 th year they traveled
from Columbus to the Arctic Circle and beyond to Coldfoot Alaska and back. The 9 th year was a Magoo Ride,
much like children we support the riders didn’t know which direction they were going every morning, where
they might spend the night or what obstacles the next day might bring. The riders were forced to stay home in
2020 due to Covid. The 2021 Miracle Ride traveled through all 50 states with the riders flying to Alaska and
Hawaii. In 2015 The Miracle Riders opened a fund (The Miracle Ride Fund) in the Community Foundation of the
Chattahoochee Valley with the purpose to simply help children. To date The Miracle Ride Fund has received gifts
totaling more than $850,000. Since the group came together quite by accident and born from the collective
desire to help children the Riders have raised more than $1.9 million for children in our community.
In 2023 The Miracle Riders will head out again in support of the CSU Nursing Program. As always, the riders
will cover all of their own expenses for this unique ride. The ride will take them to the 4 geographical corners
of the lower 48 from the tip of Maine to Washington state, down to the border of Mexico in California and on
to the southernmost point in Key West and home. They will leave on Monday, May 22 nd and return on Friday
June 16 th . We hope you will join the Riders on this adventure both with your encouragement and support.
From the beginning The Miracle Ride has taken on a life of its own born in the hearts of the brave men who have
participated in this ride. However, at the center of its success is the people in our community who choose to
make this their home and who, like The Riders want to “Make a difference in one child’s life”; to restore their
health, restore their childhood, teach them life skills or simply to be a role model for their future. Our giving for
2023 and beyond will be focused on the CSU pediatric nursing program. These nurses are on the front line and
first to come in contact with sick or injured children. After raising the funds necessary to give the School of
Nursing a brand new state of the art Pediatric Nursing Simulation Lab, with new pediatric simulation
mannequins, state of the art computer technology to go with them and a new suite design the riders will turn
their sights in 2023 toward doing the same for the Mother and Baby simulation lab.
The broader goal of the Miracle Riders is to see the future in children and do everything we can to help make
that future bright. As Scott Ressmeyer says, “I see it this way, we are only here for a very short time, and I plan
on making the most of it. If I’m lucky, a child that the Miracle Ride helped will one day travel across the country
and watch the sunset over the Pacific, and know that the people of this world are good.”
The Miracle Riders are made up of 30 men who have embraced the cause to help children. They have
collectively spent over $750,000 of their own money to be part of these rides. They also have two more riders,
Martin Thiele who passed away at the age of 18 from cancer and Andrew Wade who today is winning his battle
with cancer. Both of these young men represent the desire to give back and help others. Their lives were
touched dramatically by the pediatric nurses who treated them, many of them CSU graduates. The Miracle
Riders have established a legacy of giving to Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley we believe Columbus State University
represents this same legacy of dedication to the youngest members of our community.
MEET THE CREW - OUR BROTHERHOOD THAT CARES
MEET THE CREW - OUR BROTHERHOOD THAT CARES
Scott Ressmeyer
Mike Frank
Gary McDowell
David McNeil
Mike Jolley
Tim Wynn
Rick Stinson
Kevin Simms
Brian Brock
Doug Colburn
Steve Tennant
Jonnie Ellerbee
Mike Hamby
Vernon Griggs
Mike Langford
Andrew Wade
Ken Tidwell
Ronnie Wilson
Hank Lewis
Dave Hinson
James Leatherwood
Billy Edmundson
Brad Hansen
Riders Not Pictured:
Walt Rosso, Ralph Kingrey
The Miracle Riders are made up of 30 men who have embraced the cause to help children. They have collectively spent over $525,000 of their own money to be part of these rides. Also part of the group of Riders is Martin Thiele who passed away at the age of 18 from cancer, and Andrew Wade, who today is winning his battle with cancer. These young men represent the desire to give back and help others. The Miracle Riders have established a legacy of giving to the children of Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley that they hope will last a long time.
Every little bit helps! Please choose your best method of donating today and
thank you for helping us to make a difference in these kids lives.
Saving trees is your thing huh? We have a way! Pay by credit card online thru:
The Community Foundation
Choose the "The Miracle Ride Fund” and process your card as usual. A receipt will be emailed to you shortly.
Love a paper trail, we got you covered!
Make checks payable to:
The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley
MAIL TO:
1340 13th Street
Columbus, GA 31901-2345
Attn: The Miracle Ride Fund
Tax ID # 58-2381589
who benefits?
Why do we ride? Who benefits? The Children.
Children are our greatest resource and our future! From the beginning, our mission has been to help them, one child, at a time. We believe it is important for us to support the very first person a sick or injured child comes in contact with..a Pediatric Nurse.
who benefits?
Why do we ride? Who benefits? The Children.
Children are our greatest resource and our future! From the beginning, our mission has been to help them, one child, at a time. We believe it is important for us to support the very first person a sick or injured child comes in contact with..a Pediatric Nurse.
Thank you doesn't go far enough in expressing our gratitude to the individuals and business that help us fund the
rides to raise money for these children. You are all greatly appreciated and we could not do this with out you!!
Not a sponsor? Hit us up to find out how you can get in on the next ride with your generous donation.
Dr. Joe Arnold Dr. David and Daunn Levine Signal One
B. Merrill’s Maxwell Motors Snap On Tools, Shannon Griggs
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Mellow Mushroom Superfine GA, Inc.
“In Loving Memory of Emilie Green” Steve and Mary Olive The Carpet Man
“In loving Memory of Tom McAvoy” Painted Rock Hog Chapter The Rabourn Family
Integrated Supply RedWood MSO Team 7 Racing
Hank and Mary Lewis Frank and Meg Schley Urology Center of Columbus