Bicycles will flood the roads of Butler County for a third consecutive year as riders take to the highway to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

On March 17, community members can take part in a two-mile ride for children or have the option of doing a 15, 33 or 63-mile route. The routes will go through Butler County and parts of Lowndes and Crenshaw counties.

“We do a bike ride every year down at Orange Beach that grants wishes for kids and the Make –A-Wish Foundation grants wishes for children who have life-altering illnesses – not necessarily life threatening,” co-chair of the event Karen Higgins said. “Our heart is just into raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.”

Higgins hopes to raise $8,000, the cost of granting one wish for a child, by the end of September.

“The bike riders will pay an entry fee, which all goes toward the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” Higgins said. “The children’s entry fee is $10 and for anyone older than 12 years old, it’s $35 if you pre-register by March 1 and after March 1 it’s $40. If they register by March 1, they are guaranteed a T-shirt.”

The routes will begin and end at the Butler County Fairgrounds. Registration will start at 7 a.m. with the adults leaving at 8 a.m. and the children will register at 8:15 a.m. and they will leave at 9 a.m.

The routes will have full-supported rest stops where riders can stop, eat and drink to rejuvenate.

“The kids will ride up to the courthouse, and that’s where they stop,” Higgins said. “The Greenville Police Department helps escort us out to get us started and get us through the city limits. The county helps us out along the county roads, and the Butler County Motorcycle Group helps us and they support us. They’re out and about along the routes checking on riders and helping us out.”

Other than the ride down in Orange Beach every year hosted by the Alabama-Georgia Chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation, Higgins said this is the only other ride in the state for this foundation.

Higgins is part of a team in Butler County called Team Divided in representation for Auburn and Alabama that they bring down to Orange Beach every year to participate in the ride.

“All monies raised will be donated from our team when we do that ride down there in October,” Higgins said. “We don’t know if the money will be given toward a kid in our area. We don’t have any idea who the money is given to. Our goal is just to grant a wish.”

Individuals can register online at www.tourforwishes2012.kintera.org or can contact Higgins at 334-235-2811.