Santa’s
on Bikes Annual Christmas Charity Run 2009
Every
year there are families hoping some assistance will come to help them provide a
blessed Christmas for their children (all of us need help occasionally).
This year one family received help from a group of friendly bikers who now call
themselves Santa’s On Bikes (S.O.B.’s).
Santa’s
On Bikes
accepts donations of unwrapped gifts as well as cash to be used for stockings,
gifts and food for the family’s Christmas dinner. Do the right thing...donate
and ride with us next year.
“We
asked around to find a family (below) having a hard time making ends meet
and struggling to provide Christmas for their kids,” said Cheri Webber,
organizer of the event. The family chosen this year has five children ages 13,
11, 9, 8 and 3. Hard times fall on good people all the time, especially in a
rough economy, so lets lend a hand whenever we can, next year it may be your
family.
Click
on the picture below to see a full size image.
Webber,
along with co-organizer Tim Bates (both shown below), approached the
chosen family’s parents and they agreed to let the biker group play Santa.
“We asked the parents to make a wish list of things they would buy for
their kids if they could,” said Webber, “We took the money we collected and
filled their list." Three days before Christmas we assembled at Hooters of
Gulf Shores, loaded up the gifts and rode out.”
Click
on the picture below to see a full size image.
Still
in their infancy the S.O.B.’s (above) could only help out one
family this year. They hope the number of bikers participating in the
Christmas ride (and people offering donations) will increase next year so
more families can be helped. Last year they had 12 or 13 bikes, this year
they had about 35 bikes. Next year YOU should ride or drive with them
(and/or donate) so more families can be helped. We want to see your face
in these pictures next year, but you have to participate for that to
happen!
Don't
claim, "It's too far for me to ride!" because as you can see below,
your short little ride IS NOTHING compared to some who helped out this year!
Click
on the picture below to see a full size image.
The
S.O.B.’s have an auction before each ride to see who gets to be the
prestigious and coveted “Rudolph, leader of the pack." Will YOU lead the
pack next year?
Click
on the picture s below to see a
full size image.
This
year Charles
Burts (above)
of S&S
Motorcycle Shop on
Hwy 98 located
next door to Preston's Irish Pub, was leader of the pack
this year. Note the red headlight (nose).
Click
on the picture below to see a full size image.
Santa’s
“sleigh” (above) was a bike with a sidecar filled with presents.
Click
on the picture below to see a full size image.
I love the
retro look!
Preston's
proprietors Jeff & Kay
After
the gifts were delivered, the S.O.B.’s had their annual
Christmas
party at Preston’s Irish Pub (above). You must stop in and check them
out, they have pool tables AND foosball! They start their bike "night"
events on the first Saturday of every month in January 2010, 1pm 'till 4pm.
We
would also like to thank Frank Smith (below) of Smith Plumbing for riding
(driving) with us and letting us use his cool custom car as a backdrop for some
of our pictures. It looks like he has already been thanked though, doesn't it?
YOU
DON'T HAVE TO BE ON A BIKE TO PARTICIPATE! You just have to have a place in your
heart for others who may have temporarily fallen on hard times.
As
you can see we had a great day with beautiful weather and awesome people! If you
weren't there...you should have been!
Click
on any of
the pictures below to see a full
size image.
|