Michelle R. Smith from the The Associated Press is reporting:

An owner of a nightclub that burned down in 2003 is urging children of the 100 people who died to apply for help from a charity he co-founded.

The Station Education Fund is scheduled to hold its third annual motorcycle charity ride from Rhode Island to Connecticut on Sunday. The fund was founded by Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who owned The Station Nightclub in West Warwick, as well as their childhood friend, Jody King, whose brother died in the blaze.

The aim is to help pay for education expenses for the 76 children who lost one or both parents in the fire.

The Dederians pleaded no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for illegally installing highly flammable foam as soundproofing in the club. The foam was ignited by pyrotechnics for the rock band GREAT WHITE.

Michael was released from prison in June after serving less than three years while Jeffrey avoided prison and served probation. This will be the first year that Michael Derderian will attend the charity ride.

Jeffrey Derderian said the fund, started 2 years ago, has helped 15 children with things like laptops, supplies and clothes for school, theater camp, textbooks, backpacks and other education expenses. It now has $23,000 in the bank.

Some families in the past have said they were thankful for the fund, while others said they wouldn't take a penny from the Derderians.

Jeffrey Derderian acknowledged that his involvement may have turned off some families.

"There may be some people who don't want to apply because Michael and myself are helping to work on it," Derderian admitted. "We obviously would want as many children that are eligible to apply."

"Hopefully, as time goes on, more people will apply," he added.

Sunday's ride departs at 9:30 a.m. from Toll Gate High School in Warwick and winds across 76 miles of road to Plainfield, Conn. Last year's ride drew about 400 riders, and Derderian said they hoped for the same this year, depending on the weather. Each motorcyclist pays $30 per rider, and an extra $10 for a passenger.

The last two rides have raised close to $10,000 each, he said.