GEARING UP—A rider carries the Red, White and Blue on a 2024 Sgt. Ron Helus Ride for the Blue. Acorn file photos
What started as a small group of motorcycle riders visiting a few police stations to give thanks to local law enforcement officers has grown into what organizers describe as the largest event supporting Ventura County’s first responders.
“Spanning over 120 miles, the 8-hour journey takes riders to visit nine police stations in nine cities to honor those who protect and serve; our first responders of Ventura County,” said John Short, founder of the Sgt. Ron Helus Ride for the Blue.
Last year, more than 300 participants represented three states and over 75 California cities.
Planned for Sat., May 30, the annual ride begins at Simi Valley City Hall and travels through Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Paula before ending in Fillmore. Each stop is scheduled in advance, with riders spending about 20 minutes at each station to meet with and thank doctors, nurses, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters and law enforcement officers. The event aims to raise awareness of the challenges first responders face daily.
John Short, who helped create the event.
“An average person may encounter one traumatic experience in their life, while first responders may experience one or more traumatic experiences per shift,” Short said.
Proceeds of the ride support mental health and resiliency training programs for Ventura County first responders. Organizers call the cause vital, noting the leading cause of death among first responders is often suicide rather than line-of-duty incidents.
Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel are routinely exposed to traumatic events, chronic stress and emotionally taxing situations that can build over time. Long shifts, disrupted sleep patterns and a workplace culture that has traditionally discouraged seeking help can intensify feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression.
To help address these challenges, this year’s Ride for the Blue will fund four seminars focused on mental health tools and coping strategies.
The ride is named in honor of Sgt. Ron Helus of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, who was killed in the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting while attempting to stop the gunman. The event, which began in 2014, was renamed in his honor in 2019.
Registration costs $50 (plus a $2.77 fee) and includes an event T-shirt, breakfast items and coffee, as well as lunch during a stop at the Oxnard Police Department. Sponsorship is also available.
More information about riding, volunteering, donating or sponsoring is available at ridefortheblue.com or by contacting Short directly at (800) 606-1390 or john.short@ubs.com.
—Becca Whitnall