Desiree Gallagher before the tragedy. (Photo courtesy of Susan Gerth). Desiree Gallagher before the tragedy. (Photo courtesy of Susan Gerth).
Chatham

Second Annual Desiree's Ride To Be Held In Ridgetown

A fundraising motorcycle ride will be held in Ridgetown in memory of a woman who passed away after being brutally assaulted.

Desiree's Angels Victims For A New Start President Susan Gerth says "Desiree's Ride" will be held for a second year in Chatham-Kent next month. The motorcycle ride and dance will be held in Ridgetown at the Royal Canadian Legion 243 on Saturday, June 9. Registration starts at 11am and the ride runs from 1pm to 3pm.

She says the event will be held in memory of Desiree Gallagher, who died on May 14, 2015.

Desiree Gallagher post-tragedy. (Photo courtesy of Susan Gerth). Desiree Gallagher post-tragedy. (Photo courtesy of Susan Gerth).

"Desiree back in 2013 was brutally assaulted and fell seven stories from a balcony in London," says Gerth. "She survived the fall, but she was left blind in a wheelchair and suffered short-term memory loss."

Desiree would have turned 27 this year. By being an organ donor, she saved five people’s lives.

Gerth says the fundraiser is intended to raise awareness for victims of crime. She says Desiree's Angel has raised over $40,000 to date for victims of crime and their families.

The first ride was held in Brantford in 2014, which raised $10,000 to help Desiree with her rehabilitation and medical costs. Then after she passed, the fundraiser carried on and all proceeds went towards victim services and the women's shelter in Brantford. Gerth says last year, Desiree's Angels spread its wings to Chatham-Kent and Niagara Falls with the proceeds going towards victim services and the women's shelter there.

"There's so many other rides that support cancer and children, but you don't hear about a lot of rides that support victims of crime," she says."Victims of crime is everyone from seniors to children -- it doesn't matter."

She says both services are very underfunded and need the support.

"If there is a child that needs their bedding taken away for evidence, nobody is going to buy them that, but victim services will," she says. "That's an example of what victim services has done and there is definitely a lot of women that need the women's shelter."

Gerth says last year's ride in Ridgetown raised $1,500. She's hoping the ride will raise triple or double the funds this year.

Registration for the event includes breakfast, dinner, and a dance.

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