On any given weekend, hundreds of motorcycles can be seen snaking around the roads of Butler County, their riders putting dozens if not 100 of miles on their machines in a morning.

Often those riders aren’t just out for a normal Sunday drive.

Rides to raise awareness and funds for a variety of causes have seemingly increased in popularity in recent years, and the days of good weather this year were not wasted by benevolent bikers.

David Bombeara of Butler said his group, Christian Motorcyclists Association, participates in from five and 10 rides annually.

CMA, which sometimes organizes charity rides in addition to participating in them, was formed in the 1970s by “some guys who wanted to spread the word of Jesus to the motorcycling community,” Bombeara said. He said people often reach out to the group with causes.

“People will say ‘I’m having a ride for a group or an individual that passed away or had cancer’ — everything, there’s so many different reasons,” Bombeara said. “Sometimes we set it up, sometimes they just want us to be involved.

“Anybody that needs us, we’re there for them.”

The Butler CMA chapter has about 25 members, and Bombeara estimated there are 10 to 15 chapters in each state and 250,000 members worldwide.

Bombeara said he believes the scope of charity rides and the motorcycling community have grown.

“I think it’s getting bigger,” he said. “The last one we were on was about three months ago, and there were 1,200 motorcycles. It was very big. All the fire stations in the area contributed their vehicles to block the roads for us.”

One of the largest rides in Butler County, Riding for the Cure, recently donated $50,000 to the Butler Health System Foundation and the Richard Laube Cancer Center in Kittanning. Lynda Kerr, Riding for the Cure president, said for more than seven years the organization has raised more than $220,000 and increased in size from a few motorcycles to more than 300.

Most ride sponsors and organizations have seen similar trends in their own events, such as Ride for Kids, an August benefit that hosted 170 bikes and 300 participants, which was significantly more than last year’s 125 bikes.

“We’ve grown not only in participants but also in fundraising dollars,” said Laura Ebbert, the task force leader for Western Pennsylvania’s Ride for Kids.

Ebbert said her 18-year-old charity ride raised $45,000 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, up from the $40,000 from the previous year. She expects the numbers to continue to grow.

Even newer rides have seen success.

“This was our seventh year,” Kerr said, “and we seem to keep growing every year — as long as the weather holds out. I think (during) five of them, it’s rained on us.”

Amy Tebay, who organized Ride for Memories to benefit the Salvation Army in Butler, said weather impacted her effort, which raised $640 compared to last year’s $1,100.

“Next year we’re probably going to set a rain date,” Tebay said, adding she is still learning and improving on her ride’s effectiveness.

The popularity of these motorcycle benefits may not mean much to people who don’t ride, but the charities that benefit are feeling the impact.

“(Ride for Kids) is the No. 1 source of funding, other than the federal government, for research,” Ebbert said.

Ebbert said about 13 children are diagnosed with brain tumors each day, and their survival rates are 60 percent. She said when the ride started, the survival rate was less than 40 percent, and she believes the funds raised by the organization have led to change.

Bombeara said he and his organization ride to put some good back in the world.

“As a Christian, I just enjoy the fact that we can help people,” he said.

Though the charities chosen vary, the one thing that connects each of these events is the participants’ and organizers’ love for motorcycles and goals to help people.

“I like to ride motorcycles,” said Rich James, who organized a Ride for Robin’s Home, a shelter for homeless women veterans, in September.

James said he’s been participating in charity rides since 2002, and he’s organized events to receive charitable donations, such as winter coats for children or funds for the women’s shelter.

“I’ve received donations from people that are too far from the ride (to come), but they felt compelled to give,” James said.