Tab Run & Pennies-4-Life Ride

Olivia Andrews Tab Run & Pennies-4-Life Ride, sponsored by The Southside Riders Association, Griffin, GA is typically held in late September and is a motorcycle ride from Griffin, GA to LaGrange, GA and encourages bikers to bring their collected tabs and pennies in support of the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, Georgia.

The Southside Riders Association in Griffin, Georgia was formed in 1998 to promote the well being of children in the state of Georgia. They are a non-profit charity-centered group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have organized for the purpose of improving the image of the motorcyclist in the community. Their motto is "Remember Kids First" and through fellowship, brotherhood and involvement, they unite with a common goal to improve themselves and the children living in Georgia. 

Olivia's Story

In 1999, Arnie and Kim Cobb, members of the Southside Riders began a program in cooperation with the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, Georgia to collect pop tabs from beverage cans. In their first annual "Olivia Andrews Tab Run," they collected 164 pounds of tabs and 28 bikers rode from Griffin to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. In 2005, the ride name was changed to "Olivia Andrews Tab Run and Pennies-4-Life Ride," and encouraged bikers to save pop tabs AND their pennies for the entire year.  In 2005, they delivered 3,568 lbs. of tabs and had approximately 1,000 bikers in attendance! The inspiration for their cause is Arnie's niece, a beautiful, now healthy, redheaded young lady named Olivia Andrews and the following letter, written by her aunt, Kim Cobb, describes their story:

"On March 17, 1997, Olivia Andrews was born and immediately rushed to The Medical Center in Columbus, Georgia. Arnie's sister and brother-in-law, Toni and Shane Andrews, stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus while Olivia was hospitalized for 3 months. She is now a healthy little girl thanks to all the great care she received at the hospital. Toni and Shane's stay at the Ronald McDonald House could not have been more pleasant considering the circumstances they were facing.

Arnie wanted to give back a little of what the Ronald McDonald House had given his sister and her husband. Being a member of the Southside Riders Association, he posed the idea to the group of collecting aluminum pop tabs to help with the needed expenses that the Ronald McDonald House has to incur. What started out as a small project has now become pretty big. He and the other members of Southside Riders Association have devoted a lot of time talking to other motorcycle groups around Atlanta and people in our communities about collecting tabs. To close, I will share with you that every place Arnie and I go, whether it be a place to eat, a park or a gas station, he will look for and pick up any tabs he finds! I know that what he has done, along with the Southside Riders Association and other motorcycle groups, the Ronald McDonald House has what Arnie Cobb set out for them to have, SUPPORT which is going to be continuous and well deserved."         ~ Kim Cobb

With the enthusiasm of the Cobb family and the determination of the Southside Riders Association, the annual "Olivia Andrews Tab Run and Pennies-4-Life Ride" has grown tremendously!  A typical ride day begins at the Applebees Restaurant at North Griffin Square Shopping Center where the owner opens early and serves a breakfast to riders who arrive bright and early to get registered for the ride.  The September 24, 2010 ride leaves Griffin, GA at 10:00 a.m. and heads to Warm Springs, GA where it picks up other riders from south Georgia at 11:00 a.m. Registration tables are set up in Warm Springs for bikers to register and be ready to fall in line when the Griffin riders roll through.  From there, the miles of bikes caravan through the backroads of middle Georgia to western Georgia to the pristine waters of West Point Lake at a local park in LaGrange, GA (as yet to be determined, so stay tuned!)

There will be great food and drink, awesome music, vendors and a 50/50 drawing while the Southside Riders weigh the tabs and then present trophies to the winners!  There is even a "Pop Tab Queen" who participates in the ride and carries her "Pop Tab Septor" with her.  Ronald McDonald House Staff and Volunteers are there to welcome the bikers and to hand out freebies!  One thing is for sure, it proves to be a terrific day of music, food and the camaraderie of other bikers with one common bond, supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of West Georgia, Inc., a "home-away-from-home" for families of critically-ill, hospitalized children. 

A few years ago, the Ride was allowed into Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain which was the first time in 50 years that they allowed motorcycles to enter their gates.  It was a beautiful ride for the bikers as they wound their way through the lush Callaway Gardens landscape.  Arnie Cobb's dream is to have the Ride return to Callaway Gardens in the near future!

Arnie's advice:  "Keep pulling those pop tabs and join them in this year's Tab Run!"

For more information on the Southside Riders Association or the Pop Tab Ride, please contact Arnie Cobb at 770-900-6131.

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The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald's Corporation and its affiliates; McDonald's, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo, RMHC, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.