WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) –The Great River Ride fundraiser for the Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail rode back into western Massachusetts on Sunday.
Participation and support in this fundraiser have enabled the Friends to continue its efforts to make Westfield bicycle-friendly and add amenities to Westfield’s trail network. 22News spoke to one of the organizers about how this annual tradition preserves and enhances what they believe to be one of the best century rides in the USA.
“Things like wayfounding signage, historical signage; that’s on the trail, removing a lot of the graffiti that occurs, dog waste stations, and things like that are funded through the Friends and not through the city,” expressed Don Podolski, the Organizer of the Great River Ride Fundraiser.
At the finish of the ride, there was music, a buffet, and lots of tired but satisfied bicyclists at the Sons of Erin in Westfield.
Heath Kalb is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Heath on X @HeathKalb and view his bio to see more of his work.
