Here we go again. Another New Year, and with it comes a new decade in this millennium. So how did we do in the first ten years of the 21st century? So far we’ve had terrorism, war and more corporate ownership of the media, all of this and a sagging economy to boot. I’m not so sure we started out with banners flying. However, one bright note is that bikers have stepped up and stepped in to help where they could in whatever way they could to help the soldiers fighting the war, memorialize the soldiers who have died in the fighting, escorting soldiers home and away and helping to keep the home fires burning.
They’ve helped the pets at the SPCA and people injured in other accidents, given bikes to small children and given money for the soup kitchen.
I’d like to share with you these special stories of the past year. On New Year’s Eve we will have a full moon. Hopefully this moon will light the way to the new decade with hope, peace and promise.
This year saw many stories of great courage. Among these stories are my favorites, the stories of ordinary people doing ordinary things that helped other ordinary people. First, the story of Jim Gavenus and his untiring work to make a very special person part of the biker family. This is the story of a brave young woman, a King’s College grad, Holly Petro. Jim worked tirelessly to make her fundraiser the height of the benefit season. There was a bike rally, an art show and a concert in her honor. All this for a young woman with great promise and a bright future one that you all helped to make happen. Even Nils Lofgren pitched in. (Gavenus is a freelance photographer who works for several publications, including the Weekender.)
Another memorable story was that of the Ashley Memorial Day Parade. This parade started in 1882, and 2009 was its 127th running. Bikers came from all over to help celebrate the day and share in memorializing veterans of all the wars Americans have fought in. At this celebration, Jack Cleary spoke unwaveringly about his son Lt. Michael Cleary who gave his life for our country. From that article: “He said that ‘I am not the hero, the heroes are those men standing out there who fought in Vietnam and those who did not make it home.’”
Jack Cleary’s voice touched the silent crowd with the power of its conviction and the haunting pride that he has for his son. He reminded us of why we were there, of why we got out of bed that morning to stand with him and with the other veterans who came to the ceremony
It was moments like this throughout the year that made it clear that those who ride bikes and those who they ride for are a very special breed of people. The children who received new bikes for Christmas won’t forget that a biker made that happen. The animals at the SPCA won’t forget the roar of the engines on that summer’s day in early June when riders and their pets showed up to help our friend Vince Sweeney raise money to help those with no voice.
In early March, there was a benefit run by Pocono Mountain Leather to help a family erect a tombstone to the mother of a young family who was taken by cancer way too soon. Jayne Pavlick — “Harley Girl” — went to Carmen Cesari, who jumped at the chance to help, and a ride was done to help achieve that goal. Friends were made, and a child knew that his mother mattered.
In this year, we lost some valuable friends as well. We saw the end of the road for Buell Motorcycle Company and the end of an era with the demise of CBX Man. These were the costs we paid for the bad economy and actions that put the small man out of business and closed the door on one more main-street business.
As I was driving towards Wilkes-Barre on a cold Dec. 28, I saw my friend Wayne III ride by on his bike. I remembered that true bikers never park their bikes, they ride them even when the temperature has many driving with the heaters on and bundled in parkas. Ride on my friends, roar onto the new decade making this a land where freedom’s not just another word but we are truly free. Free to help those who need a hand, free to help those with less than we have and free to take a stand on issues that mean the most for us as a country as a whole.
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