A sea of pink Harley riders rev their engines for a good cause



OCONOMOWOC (WITI) -- What started as just a few dozen, has now grown into hundreds of Harley riders revving their engines for a good cause. Saturday, September 27th, was the 20th Anniversary of the Wisconsin Harley-Davidson and Rock River H.O.G. Chapter "Ridin' to a Cure."

One by one folks hit the open road.

"On a day like today with this beautiful sunshine, it's just a magnificent ride," said Carol Williams, cancer researcher and Harley rider.

The event is more than a 60-mile scenic ride through Kettle Morraine, they are Harley riding heros.

"It is such an honor to participate in it and to interact with the riders involved," said Williams.

Carol Williams is the co-director of cancer biology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She's usually inside a laboratory conducting breast cancer research, but not today -- today she got to talk to breast cancer survivors.

"We get to hear their stories, we get to explain to them how their support is helping the research move forward to develop new ways to treat breast cancer," Williams said.

One of those people is Lori Flug, she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.

"When I got the phone call from the radiologist and doctor saying they found cancer, it hit me like a ton of bricks," said Flug.

Flug went through surgery and radiation earlier this year, and is now cancer free.

"I think it's a wonderful thing that these people are here to support the research to donate, and to wear pink," Flug said.

But that's the idea -- to flood the streets with pink to spread awareness of breast cancer research.

"You can't beat this party," said Event Organizer, Debbie Gast.

Gast has organized this party for 20 years, but she has personal stake in the fundraiser.

"My father who was also a Harley rider, he passed away from male breast cancer in 1980 so that alone was inspiration for me. I want to do everything I can to stop this disease before it effects anybody else I know and love," Gast said.

This group has raised 4.3 million dollars for breast cancer research in the past 19 years.