Motorcyclists and jeep drivers alike are already gearing up for a benefit ride this weekend, which will benefit a Troup County native who was recently diagnosed with stage four rectal cancer. 

The ride to benefit Kelly Bowen will begin at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church on 170 Pleasant Grove Church Road at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday. Brenda Cadenhead, who is helping organize the benefit, said that the event was a chance to support someone who has been an active member of the Rosemont community.

“Anytime anybody needs anything, he is always willing [to help],” Cadenhead said. “Even with him being sick, you can call them and ask them anything, and he is right there with you. They are just a very loving, Christian family with a heart of gold.”

Registration will take place from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and costs $25, which includes one meal. Additional barbecue plates cost $5 per plate.

The event will also include door prizes and auction items, including a chance to bid on a three-night beach getaway in Destin, Florida. T-shirts and #kellystrong bracelets will also be for sale at the benefit.

The funds raised at the event will help cover Bowen’s treatment costs, and Cadenhead said that the ride will also let Bowen know how much people in the community care about him and his family.

“It is an awesome feeling that I can do this for him and his family,” Cadenhead said. “I feel very blessed that we can show someone so special to the community just how much they are loved and that he is not in this fight alone. We are with him 100 percent.”

Donations can also be made to Kelly Bowen Benefit at First Peoples Bank in Pine Mountain. For more information, call Rick Smith at (706) 402-7899.