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WEST HARTFORD, CT – It’s a 10-day charity riding event through four states, staged by the skin-care company Kiehl’s and benefiting amFAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research). On Friday, a group of executives and celebrity participants in the seventh annual LifeRide rolled into the Kiehl’s store at Westfarms mall to greet fans.
Among the riders were Kiehl’s president Chris Salgardo (red T-shirt shirt in picture), amFAR chief executive officer Keven Robert Frost (black shirt), Scott Patterson (“Gilmore” Girls”), Michiel Huisman (“Game of Thrones”), Kurt Yaeger (“Sons of Anarchy”) and more than a dozen more.
Following opening remarks inside the store, Salgardo stepped outside and explained his 77-store chain’s connection to motorcycles.
It seems that Kiehl’s previous owner was a collector who had 40 bikes. Noting that motorcycles represent freedom and adventure, Salgardo said, “Either you do it, or you love the idea of it.” Kiehl’s has that same spirit – hence a motorcycle in every store and the charity ride.
Kiehl’s flagship store in New York City has seven motorcycles on display, including Clark Gable’s Harley-Davidson, an Indian owned by Steve McQueen, and a 1915 Harley-Davidson. “It’s a way of really getting attention. It’s been a great vehicle to get attention,” Salgardo said.
During his remarks, Salgardo presented a $5,000 check to John Merz, executive director of AIDS Connecticut, a non-profit coalition helping people whose lives have been impacted by HIV and AIDS.
Once the housekeeping was completed, onlookers had the chance to mix and mingle with the celebrities. A line quickly formed for Patterson, who is reprising the role of diner owner Luke Danes for a quartet of new 90-minute episodes that Netflix will present in November. The “Glimore Girls” series originally ran on The WB between 2000 and 2007.
Other celebrities and notables taking part in the ride were Anthony Carrino, Ben Cohen, Grant Reynolds, Gilles Marini, Ian Bohen, Jay Ellis, Josj Mario John, JR Bourne, Luke Wessman, Marcel Floruss, Milissa Sears, Nina Senicar and Teddy Sears.
LifeRide began on Wednesday in New York and will head to Provincetown, MA on Tuesday and Boston and Burlington, MA on Wednesday before backtracking to Pennsylvania and wrapping up next Saturday.
After meeting with fans and having lunch, the riders got back on their bikes and headed out of town.
