Royal City community raises $46,000 for research of illness

ROYAL CITY – The wind and the rain Saturday forced participants at the second annual Histio Heroes Walk-A-Bike-A-Thon to go home earlier than planned.

But not before they combined their efforts to raise more than $46,000 for the research of Histiocytosis, according to coordinator Becky Noftle, whose son is afflicted with the rare illness.

“We're assuming a little more will trickle in,” her husband Mike Noftle said.

Becky was exceedingly grateful. She had awakened to ominous skies and windy conditions and wondered what to expect at the Royal High School track and grounds at 10 a.m.

What she got was a record 334 bikers, joggers, runners and walkers, including many in baby buggies. There were other non-registered participants at events such as a hoop shoot, a golfing contest and a home run derby. There were also about 65 volunteers.

“The turnout is amazing,” Becky said as she toured the carnival-like grounds.

“This is a community that responds,” volunteer lunch cook Dean Callahan said.

The $46,000 raised for research easily exceeded the $27,000 raised last year. The money is placed in a fund that supports research of histiocytosis at Houston's Texas Children's Hospital.

One volunteer suggested the cool weather may have been a help. Recalling that last year had been hot, she noted the participants Saturday seemed quite fresh well into the event. They rode and ran as if they were trying to save lives.

Mike Noftle noted the fund raiser shut down after a couple of hours because of the wind and rain. The home run derby never really got going.

“The weather turned south as they were eating lunch,” he said.

New events this year that went well were the raffle, which raised $185, and the closest-to-the-pin contest that raised $250.