KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) – The second annual charity motorcycle Ride for Raising Awareness for the Developmentally Disabled (RADD) is a three-part event that happens Saturday morning.

It kicks off a new program in Lenoir County. It also gives those who might not normally play baseball a chance to run the bases at Grainger Stadium. RADD helps over 8,000 people per year.

At 10:30 am Saturday, riders will go from the Boneyard Harley Davidson to the NC Veterans Home in Kinston, through the Caswell Developmental Center and on to Grainger Stadium. Also at 10:30 am Saturday, RADD’s team will be playing baseball against the Down East Wood Ducks.

“So when our riders arrive there around the time their game’s about over, they will get to come out and see the riders and the riders will get to see who they’re riding for, what’s the purpose of this fundraiser to begin with,” said April Houston, the executive director of RADD. “But then also the third part is the collaboration kickoff of (Kinston Police Department’s) Project Safe and Sound.”

The Kinston Police Department initiated Project Safe and Sound, which is for emergency responders to respond more appropriately to a call.

“[KPD] talked about it and we decided, hey, we’ll do a collaboration, RADD will help,’ said Houston. “I said, ‘Would you be open to this being a collaboration along with Lenoir County Sheriff’s Department?’ and he said, ‘If he can make it happen, we’ll do it’.”

“And soon as we were approached, we were on board,” said Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Community Crime Reduction Unit Sgt. Walt Houston. “Basically, we’re just gathering information about the individuals in the county that do have disabilities and developmental disabilities, and basically gathering that information and helping us be able to respond better to that type of situation.”

There’s no situation being left out of the program.

“Whether it’s a four-year-old child that has autism and sensory issues that can’t handle sirens, to a 75-year-old grandmother who has dementia it can help both. And a lot of people don’t think that it can do that, but it can,” said Houston.

At the RADD event, there will be information about Safe and Sound while raising money for RADD through the riders’ registration fees.

Registration for the ride is at 9:30 am and will begin at 10:30 am at the Boneyard Harley Davidson. The RADD vs Downeast Wood Ducks game will start at 10:30 am.

For more information on how to sign up for Project Safe and Sound, you can stop by the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office or call Howard at (252) 559-6100.