The trophies were given to the People’s Choice winners of several bike classes. There were trophies for the best sport bike, cruiser-class bike and custom class, just to name a few. The real winners in the 12th annual Wyoming Valley Motorcycle Show were the kids, the very special kids that are helped every day at the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association.
Kim Rollman, the PR director for the WVCA , said that “This event is largely planned by a team of volunteers and included two fashion shows. Each year they also try to plan a special feature to draw in attendees. This year it was Brad James Custom Cycles in Plains.”
This nationally recognized custom builder brought several bikes to display, and its team was on hand to talk to the many visitors to the show. Kim was also very thankful to its “largest sponsor this year, Advanced Pain Management Specialists from Plains.”
Kim says that the best thing about the show is that “It’s a bunch of vendors and dealers.” These people give up a beautiful Sunday to truck over all their wares and spend time talking to the crowd about the sport of motorcycling and helping to raise money for the WVCA. This year there were clothiers such as Pocono Mountain Leather who helped with the fashion shows, Death Row Motorcycles, Two Jacks Motorcycles, CBX-man and several of the local motorcycle clubs in attendance.
This year saw 30 motorcycles that came for the judging, and as of 1 p.m. about 2,000 spectators. Kim says that they usually hold this event in March so that the vendors can be here without interrupting their busy season. Last year it snowed during the scheduled time, and they had to postpone. This year they lucked out with a perfect day: lots of sunshine and fairly warm temperatures.
The show is one of several fundraising events that the WVCA runs annually to help fund the many programs that it runs. The WVCA states on its home page: “Our primary mission is to provide therapy and early childhood education for children, age five or younger, who demonstrate developmental and neurological disabilities.” Kim says that she is grateful to everyone who comes and that “The motorcycle community is really great. The motorcycle groups really reach out when it has something to do with kids.”
Speaking of kids, this show wasn’t for adults only; they had a fantastic face-painting booth for the children and even some small quads in pink for the little girls. Some kids were even there giving up their Sunday to help out. Stephanie Jallen, who is a real dynamo at fundraising, was on hand to help sell the 50-50 chances. She has her own bike run coming up on June 1.
On hand also were several motorcycle clubs, including the Wyoming Valley Motorcycle club with a table of T-shirts and club products for sale and free bumper stickers for May’s motorcycle safety month. The bikers with a heart even had their very own Doc on board to take blood pressure readings. This club works very hard for the local charities and likes to focus on fundraising events for the Wyoming Valley.
There was also the Soldiers’ Angels Riding Club. This club was founded by Amy Denke who says that “the club comes every year.” The focus of this riding club is military support. All of its fundraising efforts go to support our troops. One of the really touching projects it has is the “backpack project.” Amy describes the project as “backpacks with some stuff from home, boxers, T-shirts, phone cards and other stuff.” All things our soldiers need when they are far from home. The club also provides motorcycle escort services for departing and returning troops. The club had 123 bikes meet the returning 213 ASG out of Allentown on April 19.
Of course, there were the trophies. Lots of trophies. The old man even got a third place trophy in the cruiser class. Hopefully that will live in the garage with the one from Erie.
With a sense of what to wear, what to ride, the benefit for the kids and bragging rights to the trophies, the riding season is off to a good start this year. Whether you have a trophy or not, all the monies raised are going to a great cause that demonstrates once again why they call this the Valley with a Heart.
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