Witches Ride of Minden Helping Kids For Christmas

As someone who has done a lot of fundraisers in the past, they can be hard work. Honestly, I think that's why you see a lot of long-term fundraising have a silly or fun twist to it. That whimsical twist isn't always for the prospective participants, a lot of times its for the benefit of those doing the fundraising work.

Sure, some fundraisers are boring and bland, but are they fulfilling?

We can tell you that this upcoming fundraiser in Minden will be both successful AND fulfilling. Because its brilliantly designed, and has a great cause.

Witches Ride of Minden via Facebook

The Witches Ride of Minden applies their goal to their event in more ways than one. The goal of the event is to raise money to purchases bicycles for local kids this Christmas. How will they do that? Through the magic of Halloween of course. The event will feature riders on bikes (and some golf carts) dressed up like witches (think Hocus Pocus) parading around the streets of Minden, in front of the Webster Parish Library. This parade will include trick or treats for the kids, so bring the family out to watch on Thursday, October 19th, 2023.

So what exactly is a "witches ride"? Its a safe, family friendly, Halloween activity that is spreading all over the US. Here's a bit of the history that the Witches Ride of Minden posted about the concept:

"Over the last 30 years, the Witches Ride has been a blend of whimsy with philanthropy. Participants dress up in their spookiest garb and ride down the designated route on bikes, golf carts or by foot. These rides are part of a growing national trend, taking place throughout the month of October, and started for reasons as noble as fundraising or as simple as cultivating community.

Its origin began in the coastal Florida town of Seaside, when resident Amanda Bacon and friends dressed up like witches and rode their bikes to nearby Grayton Beach for fun. One glimpse from the schoolyard was all it took to pique community curiosity, and for a leisurely bike ride between friends to turn into a fundraising powerhouse. When Bacon moved to Fairhope, she shared the idea with Jenny Beam, an event planner with the Grand Hotel, and it exploded. Now with several years under its witch’s hat, Fairhope’s ride is 600 strong, with considerable fundraising muscle.

A group of friends from across north Louisiana is excited to bring this event to the small, quaint town of Minden, Louisiana. We look forward to making this an annual event for friends to come together, dress up, meet other community members, and raise money for a good cause! The Witches Ride will end with a block party at Miller Quarters to celebrate the fall season and recognize the 2023 selected charity.

***It is important to remember, by no means is this type of event promoting anything unsavory. It’s goal is simple. To encourage community camaraderie, have a whole lot of fun and most importantly raise money for chosen charities."

The Witches Ride of Minden has some great sponsor support too. Including Sonic, Firebond, St. Joseph Hospice, Palmer Dental, MD Clinics, Harper Chevrolet, Minden Family Pharmacy, and many more. You can actually check out all of the sponsors on their Facebook page.

So gather up the family, and celebrate this spooky season for a good cause!