The sun on your back. The wind in your face. The open road at your feet.

There are few feelings of freedom that can compare to the one you experience while riding a bicycle. Now imagine the exhilaration that comes from doing it for a cause.

The community can experience just such an exhilaration by participating in the 19th annual Lancaster Sunrise Rotary Ride for the Community. It all goes down Saturday, June 3, at Manheim Township Community Park, 209 Petersburg Road, Lancaster. There is a cost to register, and early bird registration will begin on Saturday, April 15, but participants can also register at the park the day of the ride.

"The idea is to raise funds for the Rotary's community partnership and raise awareness through a fun event," said Steve Bell, the ride's first-year coordinator. "We try to have a little fun and show an approachability. It's a great way to get outside for a fun event as a community. People should come out because it's fun, especially if you enjoy bike riding as a family."

The Lancaster Sunrise Rotary Ride for the Community is not a race; instead, it features three courses of varying lengths. From Neffsville into Lancaster County's scenic and picturesque farm country, riders will traverse courses of 10, 20 or 40 miles.

"There are no prizes," said Bell. "It's a recreational ride. But most of the participants are serious riders. They come in riding gear, in spiked shoes, in fancy helmets and on nice bikes. It does have a pretty good following in the serious riding community."

Typically, the Lancaster Sunrise Rotary Ride for the Community raises about $10,000 to $15,000 for its charity of choice annually, and this year's beneficiary is Lifecycles. Proceeds will go toward funding scholarships for two local high school seniors involved with Lifecycles, which stresses building young men and women of character through cycling experiences.

When it comes to determining the beneficiaries, Bell noted, Lancaster Sunrise Rotary has established strategic priorities. "We're trying to identify worthy organizations that stress youth development and early education," he said. "We're not swinging at every pitch. We're trying to pick and choose."

In the past, the Lancaster Sunrise Rotary Ride for the Community has attracted about 120 participants. After displaying steady growth early in its history, the Rotary ride's participation has plateaued in recent years, but Bell would like to see a resurgence in the event's growth.

"We need to double that," said Bell. "I'd love to see the ride outgrow the park. One hundred and twenty just isn't that many people, with all the bike riders we have in the community."

"I see a lot of riders on rail-to-trail," he added. "I know people ride along the Susquehanna (River). It seems to me it's a bike-friendly region. I think there are people who should be riding this ride. We get high reviews. We get a lot of return riders."

For additional information about the Lancaster Sunrise Rotary or to register beginning April 15, go to http://www.lancastersunriserotaryofpa.com.