Culinary Students Prepare Food For Missing & Exploited Children Riders

New Hartford, NY (WIBX) - The Ride For Missing and Exploited Children kicks-off tomorrow morning, and this year the more than 400 participants are getting a tasty meal from culinary students at OHM BOCES. Chef Instructor, Charles Hoffmeister says the students are excited to be a part of the event and are preparing 600 sandwiches to be delivered to the riders tomorrow. "We're doing ham sandwiches, turkey sandwiches and grilled vegetable sandwiches. We've been sponsored by NYSET so they've donated all the different products to make the sandwiches, and as far as the rolls are concerned, the students produced those here and sliced all the meats, and sliced all the lettuce and the tomatoes, and produced the sandwiches here," Hoffmeister said.

About 85 students take part in the nationally certified culinary program at BOCES, and this is the first year the group is joining forces with The Ride For Missing Children. This year, participants will hop on their bikes at 7:45 a.m. at the YWCA in Oneida, for the 100 mile trek through Westmoreland, Clinton, New Hartford, Utica, Frankfort, Mohawk, Herkimer, Marcy and Whitesboro. They also plan to visit 17 area schools along the way to talk about child safety and abduction prevention.

For more information about the ride and the organization visit, www.missingkids.com or www.therideformissingchildren.com, or contact them at (315) 732-7233. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: NCMEC-NY Mohawk Valley Office, 934 York Street, Utica, NY 13502.