Charity (In The Biker Community)

So, as we gear up for the 2014 "riding season" and a very much needed ride tomorrow for the Fallen Riders Memorial Fund-SC to collect donations that will help while our fallen brothers and sisters are in the hospital, I keep thinking about how much good we, the bikers, do for our community and our nation.  Every year, there are annual rides, some of them that have been going on for almost half a century.  I know that every year in September I attend the Bikers Who Care Toy Run & Benefit Party (2013 being the 32nd Annual Event).  Every single penny they earn goes to Children's Charities in their community.  They have done wonderful things in their community and they are a sense of pride for most of the community.  After this summer's fiasco in NY, I was stunned to see people on some of my Facebook feeds put all bikers in the same category as those bikers.  I seen people get offended and complain that it was because of the bikes they were riding or sadly because of the color of their skin.  We get it all the time.  One person or one group of people do something that makes National News and we are all included and blamed, even when we are states or even countries away.  I cannot deny there are a few bad apples in every walk of life, but they do not dictate nor set the standard for all.  We gather toys for the children in our communities, we provide Veteran's with essentials, we provide support and raise money for people in our communities, yet we are judged by what only a small percentage of bikers do.  Over 3,000 bikes have shown up at the annual event I attend and the out pouring response from the community is amazing.  They line the streets like it is a parade waving and cheering, they stop in the middle of the road as a sign of respect, they convene at the drop off point to such an extravagance that there is no room in the MALL parking lot to park.  It didn't happen overnight, but it happened all the same.  I can't wait to see that kind of acceptance all over.  I don't think it will happen in my lifetime, but maybe my grand children's and I pray that each and every one of them is a part of that line of bikes riding to bring joy to children, Veterans and someone in need.  There are much worse things you can do in this lifetime than to open your heart and give while knowing that people will judge you by your lifestyle not your character.  So keep it up my fellow brothers and sisters.......let your character define you, not someone else's idea of who you are.