MACOMB – The 2025 Silvie's Ride Against Child Abuse raised $16,200 for local philanthropic organizations dedicated to children and families.
The life of Silven 'Silvie' Yocum of Macomb was again remembered and celebrated at Silvie's Ride Against Child Abuse June 14. The five-year-old died in September 2006 as a result of domestic violence.
'The list is very long that we want to show appreciation to. I want to start with the Elks – they are so good to us; the Macomb Police Department and Sheriff's Department, and fire departments from around the area, all those who make sure we're safe, and to the community as a whole who stand behind us and to everyone who shows up for this. We couldn't ask for a better bunch of people,' said Silvie's grandfather, Jon Yocum of Macomb. 'We also appreciate WIRC and what they do. When we lost Silvie, they were a big help to us. It's not just a motorcycle ride, it's an event and a celebration of life for our Silvie. I hope we can make an impact and make a difference for the children in our community.'
Silvie's Ride Against Child Abuse was established in 2015 by Yocum, with proceeds going to area social service agencies. Proceeds from the 2025 event will be split between Western Illinois Regional Council- Victim Services, The Samaritan Well in Macomb and Safe Harbor Family Crisis Center in Galesburg, to further the scope and reach of the Knights Motorcycle Riding Club's fundraising efforts, as well as to raise awareness for other service agencies in the region. The motorcycle club has members from Macomb and west central Illinois all the way north to Kewanee, Illinois.
The annual memorial ride has raised over $133,000 to date. The St. Augustine, Illinois-based Knights, of which Jon is a member, along with Erin's partner, Todd Mason, organize the annual event. This year's event brought in close to 120 bikes, and several SUVs, cars and trucks. The 2026 ride will be held June 20, 2026.
For more information, visit facebook. com/SilviesRideAgainstChildAbuse/ and tinyurl.com/KMClubFacebook.
