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The community is coming together for another fundraising ride. The Healing for Hadilee Benefit Ride will be raising funds for Hadilee Arnold and her family. Arnold was in the May 16 car accident, with four other Troup High students. 

On Wednesday a benefit ride was put on for Mary Joy Moosman, who was also in the crash and passed away from her injuries. That ride included around 90 cars and raised over $5,500 for a scholarship in Moosman’s name. 

On Saturday, June, 29 the Troup County community will show up again for Arnold. The drive starts at 1 p.m. at Hog Daddy’s BBQ. There will be two different routes vehicles can take. One is the paved route, and the other is for off-road vehicles. The routes will converge back to Hog’s Daddy where there will be food, music by DJ Brian Jones, a raffle and an auction. 

“It’s an enjoyable ride for any type of rider. We’ll split off for the ones who have off-road vehicles, and we’ll travel down dirt roads and meet back up with the vehicles on the pavement and head back towards Hog Daddy’s,” said Britney Buchanan, who along with her husband Aaron is organizing the ride. “It’ll be about an hour’s drive.”

Britney has done several rides with the Jeep-owner community in Griffin, Georgia. 

“We do benefit rides and things like that all the time. And when I saw everything going on, I was just automatically like, ‘Oh my goodness, I know this family. We’ve got to help,’” Britney said. 

The registration fee is $20 per vehicle, which includes the driver, and $5 per passenger. For those wanting to grab some grub, an extra $15 can buy a BBQ meal. Registration will take place at Hog Daddy’s on the day of the ride. The fees can be paid in cash or through the cash app. Donations can also be made through the same cash app, $HadileeStrong.

All the proceeds will go to Arnold’s medical care and her family’s traveling fees to and from Atlanta, where Arnold is receiving the care. 

Arnold was recently downgraded from critical condition and graduated from the ICU, however, she is still on the road to recovery. She and Moosman were 2024 graduates and were both accepted into the University of Georgia. 

The raffle and auction will include prizes like two tickets to a Sweetland concert and gift cards for a hair salon, deer processing, inflatable rental service and more.

Britney asks those wanting to attend to go to the Facebook invite, Healing for Hadilee Benefit Ride, and select “Going,” so the organizers can get a head count.