Almost every day, someone calls the newspaper with information about an effort to help a group or a family in need.

It’s nice to know we live in a place where people care and I’d like to use my column space this week to remind folks about a few upcoming events.

This weekend there are a couple of fund-raising events that are family friendly. Saturday morning, motorcycle riders will take off for an 80-mile trek for charity. Sikorsky is holding the company’s fourth annual motorcycle ride and car show to raise money for the Pike Regional Children’s Advocacy Center.

Riders should report to Sikorsky at 8 a.m. Saturday morning and registration fees are $20 for riders and $10 for passengers. Community members are invited to join in the fun at the Troy Parks and Recreation Department beginning at 11 a.m. for a bike and car show.

There’s an entry fee of $20 to show a car, but admission is free to the public.

Also on Saturday, Miss Colleen’s will be the place to be for lunch and dinner. There’ll be hamburgers and hotdogs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Boston butts and barbecue chicken from 3 to 8 p.m. There will also be a chance to win several items, including a stainless steel, gas grill donated by Lowes. All proceeds will go to support the Hughes family as Goshen teacher Dee Hughes battles cancer for the second time.

The Circle K club at Troy University is collecting new and gently-used coats to give to Pike County residents who might otherwise go cold this year. Donations are being accepted at Southside Baptist Church on Brundidge Street in Troy.

And, the United Way has kicked-off its fund-raising season. The organization gives financial support to 17 different agencies in the area – the Pike County 4-H Clubs, the Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Colley Senior Complex, Salvation Army, Red Cross, East Central Mental Health, House of Ruth, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Troy Charity League, Humane Society of Pike County, Pioneer Museum of Alabama, Organized Community Action Program (OCAP), Easter Seals, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Sav-a-Life.

Tax-deductible donations may be mailed to the Pike County United Way, P.O. Box 204, Troy, AL 36081.

Sept. 28 is the last day to vote in the Pike County Humane Society’s pet photo contest. Head over to pikehumane.org to find out more about the competition and how to cast your vote. Winning pets will be featured in a 2013 calendar and funds raised will go toward the PCHS’s spay-and-neuter program, feral cat program, and education programs.

And there are plenty more ways to support great causes in the area. If there’s an event to support a community member or group in Pike County, please let us know! We’re a part of the community and ready to do our part to support local efforts whenever and however we can.