An opportunity to enjoy fresh air and exercise in the rolling hills of North Butler County-and to raise funds to continue the fight against cancer-is coming Saturday, March 19.

The 2nd Annual Butler County Relay For Life Bike Ride will kick off with registration at 7 a.m. at the Butler County Fairgrounds. Registration for the Children’s Fun Ride is at 8:15 a.m. Breakfast will be provided to the riders by Hardee’s.

“We had a great event last year. I believe we had 69 riders, and we are expecting approximately 100 or more this year. We want to keep growing it and making it better and better each year,” said Karen Higgins, who co-chairs the event with Debra Waller.

The Adult Ride will begin and end at the fairgrounds, with the riders departing at 8 a.m. The Children’s Two-Mile Fun Ride (ages 5-12) will start at the fairgrounds at 9 a.m. and end at the Butler County Courthouse. The registration fee for the child cyclists is $5 and all participants will receive a youth-size Relay T-shirt.

All riders must wear helmets at all times and be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the ride.

“The kids had a wonderful time last year. They thought it was a race and you should have seen their enthusiasm,” said Higgins.

For the Adult Ride, three routes-66, 33 and 15-mile options–will be provided through Butler and portions of Crenshaw and Lowndes counties, with rest stops and on-route support provided on every route, says Higgins.

The registration fee for the ride is $40, and includes a T-shirt and post-ride meal. All proceeds from the event will go to the Butler County Relay For Life for the American Cancer Society.

In the event of inclement weather, the ride may be delayed, shortened or canceled for the safety of the rider. Because of the charitable nature of the event, no refunds will be given, Higgins said.

Riders can register online at relayforlife.org/butleral (join the “bike ride team.”) For more information, contact Debra Waller at debrawaller@att.net.