Bikers across the Salt Lake Valley are gearing up for a ride with a purpose next weekend, as the third annual Ridin' with the Wolf Pack motorcycle event kicks off in West Jordan on September 13 to raise money for Utah cancer patients and their families. The day starts with brunch at 9 a.m. at Black Sheep Bar & Grill before riders hit the road at 11 a.m., eventually rolling into Wolf Dog Brewery in Sandy for a post-ride celebration.
The event benefits the Ink Against Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit that has already helped more than 96 individuals and families cover costs like rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, and medical expenses, according to KUTV. The nonprofit describes itself as supporting cancer warriors of all ages and cancer types, and the station's report notes that participants and post-ride attendees can expect food, drinks, bingo, and prizes at the finish line. Every rider who registers also receives a commemorative ride patch to mark the occasion.
Registration runs $30 per rider and $15 per passenger, and organizers say all riders and riding groups are welcome to join, regardless of experience level or the make of their bike. Those who don't ride are not left out either — per the same account, supporters can back the cause without ever getting on a motorcycle, whether through donations, raffle purchases, or simply showing up for the brunch and after-party.
A Foundation Born From Personal Loss
Ink Against Cancer's roots trace back to 2017, when co-founders Hildegard Koenig and her husband Jay launched the organization after their close friend Austin Bell — nicknamed “Wolf” — was diagnosed with cancer, according to CanvasRebel Magazine. Bell passed away shortly after the couple's first benefit event, and Koenig pledged to keep helping cancer patients in his memory, which is why the annual ride still carries his nickname nearly a decade later.
The foundation formally became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2020, and it operates entirely with volunteer staff, according to Voyage Utah Magazine. The group receives no government funding, relying instead on community donations and event sponsorships to direct money straight toward emergency assistance rather than overhead.
From a Handful of Riders to a Growing Tradition
The inaugural Ridin' with the Wolf Pack ride launched in September 2024 and raised funds for more than 75 cancer patients through registration fees, raffles, and flash tattoo sessions, per Ink Against Cancer. This year's edition traces a 122-mile route through Utah's Wolf Creek Pass Loop, taking riders from West Jordan through Heber and Hanna before looping back to Sandy for the celebration.
The motorcycle ride is just one piece of a broader autumn calendar for the nonprofit, which also hosts its 10th Annual Ink & Art Fest on October 3 and 4 at the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City, bringing together tattoo artists, vendors, and community members. Ink Against Cancer has also organized more unconventional fundraisers in the past, including medium group readings at Tracy Aviary and an April plant-decorating contest called The Great Bush Trim-Off, giving people who don't ride or get tattoos other ways to pitch in.
Why Grassroots Support Still Matters in Utah
The foundation's community partnerships extend beyond fundraising events. It works with the Utah Grizzlies hockey team to let young pediatric cancer patients drop ceremonial game pucks and write their names on the rink ice, offering emotional lifts alongside the financial assistance the group provides.
That kind of grassroots support remains significant in a state where cancer continues to take a heavy toll. Utah Department of Health mortality data shows 3,499 Utah residents died from cancer in 2022, the most recent complete reporting year available. That's despite Utah ranking first in the nation for the lowest rate of new lung cancer cases in 2025, at 25.3 per 100,000 residents, a distinction tied to the state's nation-leading low adult smoking rate of 6%, according to the American Lung Association. Nationally, the American Cancer Society projected more than 2 million new cancer cases and over 618,000 cancer deaths across the United States in 2025, underscoring why community-funded assistance for costs like rent and transportation still fills a critical gap for families navigating a diagnosis.
Fresh Living, which first reported on the upcoming ride, airs every weekday at 1 p.m. MST on CBS Channel 2 and YouTube.
