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Just Helping Jimmy" event draws a crowd
judgeexleyride
Chief Magistrate Preston Exley leads the ride for the “Just Helping Jimmy” fundraiser to help pay the medical bills for constable Jimmy Morris. Morris was hurt when his experimental ultralight plane crashed earlier this year. - photo by Photo by Angela Mensing

More than 260 people participated in Saturday’s “Just Helping Jimmy” benefit ride. The event brought in $3,150 to help former Effingham County Magistrate Court constable Jimmy Morris.

Organizer Mike Waldron said 174 motorcycles participated, along with 25 custom and normal trucks and 30 custom and normal cars. Prior to the ride kicking off at 11 a.m., Jessi-lyn Ewald walked the crowd, selling raffle tickets 10 per strip and offering a free kiss with each purchase.

“Women bought most of the tickets,” Ewald said. “So I gave them the tickets and their husbands the kiss.”
All in all she sold about 140 tickets.  

Mike Waldron’s 10-year old son Wesley also pitched in, managing soda and water sales that brought in $167.

After the ride — with more than a thousand raffle tickets sold for various items such as a 32-inch plasma television and a YMCA family pass worth $700-$800 — Wayne Guhl with the help of 10-year old Jessica Smith of Richmond Hill drew the lucky numbers.

Waldron said he was happy with the results. And he wasn’t the only one.

“It was so much fun. People were pulling over for us, and the police were there to help us through every time we needed to go through a light,” Ewald said. “Everything went really smooth and was extremely exhilarating.”

Waldron said that they’ll be holding another event in the fall to bring in more contributions for the Jimmy Morris Recovery Fund. Individuals who are interested in donating can do so at any Citizens Bank branch in the county.