Long Island rock star rides for charity

Rock icon and Baldwin native Dee Snider led his 14th annual charity motorcycle ride on Oct. 2 in Lido Beach to raise money to fight hunger on Long Island.

It was the fourth consecutive year that Snider, the longtime frontman of heavy metal group Twisted Sister, raised money for the Long Island Cares Harry Chapin Food Bank, as hundreds of bikers showed up in support of the cause.

“It was a great ride, and we couldn’t help the weather, but Mother Nature did keep the rain away,” Snider said in a video on the event’s Facebook page. “We rocked, we had some fun, we raised some money, we did a good thing.”

This year’s grand marshal was News 12 reporter Elisa DiStefano, who recently opened Mo’Nelisa, an Italian restaurant in Point Lookout. The event featured food, raffles, and live music from Jade, as well as Joe Rock and the All Stars. More than 50 road captains from five motorcycle clubs assisted with traffic control during the ride.

This year’s event raised more than $75,000 for the food bank, which distributes more than eight million pounds of food and supplies annually to about 600 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, group homes, day treatment facilities, senior nutrition sites and day care centers in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“It didn’t rain, so you people who looked out the window and said ‘It’s gray, I can’t go out and support a charitable cause,’ I understand,” said Snider, “but those of you who showed up, thank you for coming.”