Many things get off to a roaring start but none like the Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center’s annual Motorcycle Dice Run.

Imagine more than 100 bikers revving up their motorcycles in support of the efforts to prevent child abuse and that’s the sound that will be heard around 9:30 Saturday morning, Oct. 25, as the 4th Annual Motorcycle Dice Run gets under way.

“We are expecting great participation again this year,” said Mona Watson, Center director. “The last couple of years we’ve had 100 participants and we could have even more this year. The Dice Run is a lot of fun for the riders and the money goes for such a good cause. That’s why we see an increase in the number of riders each year.”

The funds raised by the Dice Run will be used for the CAC’s child abuse prevention programs in the local schools.

“We take our prevention message to second-, fifth- and seventh-grade students in the county,” Watson said. “Our community outreach program is so important because child abuse is a very serious problem in Alabama and in Pike County.”

Ren Anderson of Troy is a regular rider in the annual event. He is the director of the American Legion Riders that he laughingly said is “not a gang.”

“We ride to support the Child Advocacy Center because it’s such a good cause,” Anderson said. “Anytime that you can do something to help children it’s a good cause and the CAC does so much. And, too, the Motorcycle Dice Run is a lot of fun. It’s a chance to ride with a whole group of people and it’s a good route.”

Clark Boutwell, a retired Troy police officer and a member of the Riders, said his group rides in a lot of “poker runs” but the CAC event is special because it’s a local event.

“It’s good to participate in national and state runs but this run benefits our local area,” he said. “The funds that are raised here stay here in Pike County to help our own people.”

Boutwell said, as a police officer, he has seen the good work that child advocacy groups do with abused children.

“During interviews, they are able to get information that we would never be able to get as police officers.,” he said. “It’s amazing how they handle interviews.”

The Motorcycle Dice Run starts at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at Ward’s Yamaha and follows a 90-mile route to Brundidge, Banks and Union Springs and back to Banks and Troy where lunch will be served and prizes awarded at the Half-Shell.

At each stop site, bikers will roll the dice and the rider with the highest total will win a cash prize of $250.

“Because this is a fundraiser for the Child Advocacy Center, in the past, most winners have donated the money back to the Center,” Anderson said.

Registration for the 2008 Motorcycle Dice Run will begin at 8:30 on Saturday for those who have not pre-registered. Those wishing to pre-register may do so on site at Ward’s or the Child Advocacy Center on West Orange Street in Troy or by calling 566-3942, 807-0747 or 670-0487.

The registration fee is $20 for bikers and $10 for riders.

Motorcycle Dice Run tee shirts are $12 each and are available to those who would like to support the Child Advocacy Center whether they participate in the Motorcycle Dice Run or not. Shirts may be purchased by calling 670-0487.