City motorcycle quartet ferries comfort package for Kerala in car
It was the love of motorcycles that brought together a quartet — Shiv Kumar, Francis Pereira, Dhaval Kothari and Rajeev Nair. But now, compassion is the glue that holds them together -- they want to do whatever they can, to support the flood victims of Kerala.
It was Kumar (Founder, Royal Crusaders Motorcycling Club, Mumbai) who came up with the idea. Later, Pereira (Member, Bisons Ride Hard Motorcycling Club), Kothari (Solo Rider) and Nair (Member, Bisons Ride Hard Motorcycling Club) joined the cause. Nair, who spoke to The Free Press Journal on the phone, said they had begun their journey on August 24 and hoped to reach Cochin on August 25, with the relief material.
The group is taking with them relief material like milk powder, sanitary pads, new clothes, medication and syringes, phenyle, Dettol, gloves, ORS / Electral, soaps, towels, bedsheets and other essentials. Although these supplies will travel by road, it will not be on their beloved motorcycles, but in a car so they can accommodate as much as possible.
In four days, this group raised a total amount of Rs 2,18,410, which will be used to buy relief material. They also received lot of relief items from friends, family members, riders from motorcycling / solo riders and colleagues. These relief packages will be given in areas like Parvoor, Aluva and Chalakudy. Kumar and Nair (who live in Mumbai) are taking help from their relatives in Kerala and volunteers to help disburse the relief.
“This is the first time we are doing this. In the past, we were never able to help anyone as we were not in a position to do so. But today, we all can. So, we decided to take this journey,” explained Nair.
All four are employed in various organisations and have taken leave from their respective offices for this cause. “We have to return to our respective offices by Tuesday/Wednesday. So, based on that we will plan our journey back.”