Fifty-seven people on 40 motorcycles braved the rainy weather Saturday to show their support and participate in the third annual Breast Cancer Awareness Ride.
The ride, with bikers from the Fire & Iron club, began at the Shepherd VFW, 8970 S. Shepherd Road, post 8215 and continued through?Clare, Coleman, St. Louis, ending back at the Shepherd VFW.
The biker club?s president Brad Doepker helped come up with the idea for the event in 2009 when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer for the third time.
?That got brought up in one of our meetings, so we started the Breast Cancer Bash, and now we?re on to our third annual,? Doepker said. ?We also try to support other community organizations like the Forgotten Eagles or the Morning Sun Ride Against Domestic Violence.?
The bike show, where ?people could go and check out some of the bikes going on the road, started at 10 a.m. Registration started at 11 a.m., and the bikers took off on their trip at ?1 p.m.
?The goal for us today is to deal with breast cancer,? said club member Joe Grizinger. ?We ride about 110 miles today and we give the recipients the money.?
Every year, the biker gang selects two people diagnosed with cancer and donates the money raised to them. This year, they selected Clare resident Arlene Bauman and Breckenridge resident Rich Tupica.
?It?s the emotional support that I really appreciate,? Tupica said. ?What I?m hoping to do from the rally is to pay some hospital bills and get additional physical therapy.?
Bauman said she was unaware of the motorcycle event until one of her nurses gave the club her name and she was chosen.
?I?ve been so thankful for all of them,? Bauman said. ?Just knowing that people care and they?re out there to give you that extra boost. Those types of things are what make life a lot more fun.?
Bauman said battling cancer is easier when she tries to find something to laugh about, as well as not feeling sorry for herself and not being afraid.
?I was diagnosed with cancer a year ago last February,? Bauman said. ?I?ve had my chemo, and as of right now, I don?t have any cancer.?
After the bikers got back, 50/50 drawings began. Prizes for the drawings were donated by local businesses, who could also participate as sponsors.
The biker club originally started with three members, and currently has 26 members. One of the original three members, Shepherd resident Mike Pung, said he is proud the event helps the people they select, as well as making it as fun as possible.
?We worked all year to put on this event,? said Pung, the club?s treasurer.
Pung said because of the bad economy some people do not have the finances to pay for their treatment.
?We?re here for a good cause,? he said.
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Orrin Shawl
Source: http://www.cm-life.com/2011/08/15/biker-club-holds-breast-cancer-awareness-ride-in-shephard/
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