Every year Amherst police officers put on their helmets for an annual bike ride to Vermont. But this year the ride will take on special meaning. The officers are riding in honor of a fellow officer and his family who tragically lost their young daughter.

Patricia Arocho, "She was always very happy friendly and very social."

For 3 days and 180 miles Amherst police officers will be pedaling for Siara. The two year old daughter of veteran officer Jesus Arocho and his wife Patricia. One June 11th the couple tragically lost their daughter after she drowned in the family's Springfield swimming pool.

Siara's parents, Jesus and Patricia Arocho say "We've never been here before and we just take it one day at a time it's just really hard and there is nothing to describe it."

Since the accident Arocho has give up many overtime shifts to spend more time with his wife and their three kids. So, his colleagues decided it was time to help by using their annual bike ride from Amherst to Vermont.

Officer Bill Laramee says the goal of the ride is to raise money for the Arocho family and to foster relationships in the public safety community.

Laramee says, "There is not going to be a day that goes by that he doesn't miss her terribly but this is a way to remember her."

Jesus and Patricia say the bike ride is something Siara would have loved and plan on riding in the event for the first few miles.

Arocho says, "I know that if Siara was there she would have been really happy because she was used to being at the games and with people, she loved that."

The ride will start August 14th with an 8am sendoff from the Amherst Police Department and will end two day's later in Lyndonville, Vermont.

The Amherst Police Department has set up a blog spot to document the 3 day bike ride. So far they have raised more than $2,000.

For more information on how you can help just log onto http://arochoride.blogspot.com/2008/06/please-support-arocho-family.html