The Third Annual “Ride For Ronnie” Motorcycle Rally and Concert took place earlier last month and raised $40,000 for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. Attended by motorcycle enthusiasts and rockers by equal measure; bikers, bands, and fans young and old represented to raise money in memory for late heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio  of  Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell, and Rainbow fame, who passed away from Gastric Cancer in 2010.

Hosted by Eddie Trunk, there was music, celebrities and a raffle and live auction, which included Eddie Money’s stage-worn full-length leather trench coat from his 2000 “Millennium Tour” and a Great White acoustic guitar signed by the band members brought in additional donations during the event. Wendy Dio and Dr. Sandy Kapoor presented a check for $25,000 to Dr. David Wong of the UCLA School of Dentistry to further his team’s research into the development of a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer. Dr. Wong told the crowd that the recognized support from the Dio Cancer Fund has already brought his project additional funding. Ghost Cult’s Meg Loyal of Meg Loyal Photography  was on hand to document the event for our readers.