What started as a small celebration at which St. Louis Bicycle Works (BWorks) could thank its volunteers and collect donations for a local food pantry has reached a 10-year high. “Cranksgiving has really taken on a life of its own,” said Patrick Van Der Tuin, executive director of BWorks. “This year alone we brought in 13,800 items for Food Outreach.”

The family friendly bike ride takes participants from grocery store to grocery store along a marked route: long (25 and 50 miles), medium (10 miles) or short (5 miles). Each rider gets a list of needed food items, which they purchase at the stores and bring with them to the start/finish at City Museum for donation. A post-ride party features refreshments, entertainment, and activities for adults and kids.

Over the years, Cranksgiving has grown from a couple dozen friends and families to 900-plus riders of all shapes, ages, genders and abilities. The food items purchased during the ride — 62,000 total since 2005 — all go to Food Outreach, a St. Louis area organization providing nutrition support for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS or undergoing cancer treatment. Find out more at bworks.org/cranksgiving/.