Bikers hit the road for worthy cause
Dozens of shined up bikes lined the Bellyup Bar & Grill parking lot Saturday to kick o an annual awareness cruise around Colchester County.
More than 60 motorcycles hit the streets Saturday morning as part of the Bikers Against Child Abuse annual 100 Mile Ride, a yearly trip organized to bring awareness to the group and their efforts to support abused children.
“It’s our big ride every year, and it’s our main fundraiser we have,” said Shorty, a member of BACA.
“Every penny we raise is for our kids. is money is used anytime we have to do Bikers Against Child Abuse work, such as taking a kid out to lunch or for our Christmas party we throw for our kids each year. So this is the big push for all of that.”
Bikers Against Child Abuse is a global biker club that helps abused children in their time of need by providing them with protection and support when needed.
Each member is assigned a child to work with, and acts as a primary contact for the child when they need a helping hand.
“If they call, we have to be there,” said Shorty.
“What I tell everyone is this is a huge commitment. is isn’t a social club where you get out and ride with your buddies for a while, this is about the kids, and they are our most precious resource. We help empower them when they need it most.”
Each member of the BACA uses what they call a ‘road name,’ a pseudonym used to protect their identity when assisting a child in court. Using real names could lead to a member being summoned in a court case, meaning they couldn’t provide their child with the support they need.
The ride, which took them along the Glooscap Trail, through Pleasant Valley and back to Truro, is a mandated ride that is held across the globe by the group’s many chapters.
“You can tell the ride was created in Utah, because the weather is a whole lot better down there,” chuckled Shorty.
“Last year, we had a nice mixture of sleet, hail and lots of wind. We also have chapters in Iceland, and they have to be out too. If it was snowing out today, we would have to ride, but we wouldn’t invite the public at that point.”
After the ride, the group returned to Bellyup for live music, food and a silent auction to help raise funds for BACA.
“Events like this make people aware we’re here,” said Shorty.
“It’s a chance for us to meet new people and allows us to be together, as we are pretty spread out. It also allows us to get more potential members. ey get to talk to us and nd out what this is all about, which is nice.”