Giving Back, By Way of Motorcycle
Giving Back, By Way of Motorcycle
From Ellicottville to Bradford to Jamestown, bikers are hitting the open road to help their communities
Let’s face it. Bikers oftentimes get a bad rap - portrayed as violent, degenerate or dirty by various films and media. The opposite could not be more true. Motorcycle clubs are built on members who are very active in their communities. (Note: Many bikers are retired servicemen.) These clubs support their neighborhoods and give back whenever they can. One of the best examples of bikers giving back is through dice runs.
What is a dice run? It’s a motorcycle ride for a cause. Supporting anything from local volunteer organizations to cancer research and awareness to special services for children. In this article, we’re going to cover just a few of the events planned in our areas.
Let’s start with a local event. The Ellicottville Distillery, located at 5462 Robbins Road, will host their Annual Vintage Motorcycle Showcase on Saturday, September 16th. Cost is $15 to register. (If you don’t have a bike to enter, you can still come out to join the fun! Donations aren’t required but they are certainly appreciated.) There will be live entertainment provided by local favorite, Meet the Bacons, from 12:00-3:00pm. A food truck will be on-site to provide good grub to pair with any of the signature refreshments the Distillery has to offer. Proceeds from the 50/50 raffle will benefit Oishei Children’s Hospital, the regional center for comprehensive pediatric, neonatal, prenatal and obstetrical services in Western New York.
“Our middle daughter spent 72 days in Oishei and we try our best to support them whenever we can,” said Distillery owner Bryan Scharf. So bring your bikes out to Ellicottville Distillery for a great day of music and merriment while you help them support a great institution. More information can be found on their Facebook events page.
Make a note to sign up for the DW Memorial Dice Run in Olean, NY on August 18th and 19th. (The DW stands for Dennis Jones and Wayne Johnston, whom the Inaugural event is in honor of.) This large scale run welcomes over 150 bikers participating each year and has multiple stops including Shinglehouse and Lewis Run, PA, before ending in Olean at Angee’s Restaurant. This year’s funds raised will go toward the DW Memorial Scholarship Fund, in memory of Dennis and Wayne and will help a local student from each Olean High School and the Arch Bishop Walsh Academy further their education. More information about the event, the route, and other details as they become available can be found at oleanny.com.
Bradford, PA isn’t missing out on the action. The 26th Annual Motorcycle Benefit Run is on for Saturday, July 22nd. (The event actually begins on the 21st with a bike show at Ace Hardware, with the actual Dice Run taking place on Saturday.) Registration is open from 9:00-11:45am at the Zippo/Case Museum Visitors Center and cost is $25 per person. (The first 500 participants will receive a free event pin.) The event will begin with a Blessing of the Bikes at 12:00pm. The run is approximately 90 miles. Along with door prizes and awards, everyone can enter to win the grand prize, “Harley of Hope” - a 2023 Harley Davidson Softail Heritage Bike. Zippo Lighters and event t-shirts will also be available for purchase.
This Dice Run annually benefits the Kids and Cancer Programs. President/organizer of the event, Bill Black stated, “We give the funds directly to the families in need. We help them with utility bills, prescriptions, gas cards, doctor appointments, etc. - all the things that can get out of your control when one of your children or loved ones is fighting cancer.”
Hats off to them for their direct support to local families. Further event info can be found at kidsandcancerbenefitrun.com.
Swinging back the other way, Springville, NY is hosting the 50th Year Reunion & Ride for the Zoar Valley Moto-Park on September 23rd & 24th. The park has been closed for decades, but Ed Abdo is bringing it back to life for a weekend ride reunion! This is an all day event running from 8:00am-10:00pm both days. Participants will have the opportunity to ride the MX and BMX tracks in their original layouts from the 70s. Mark Ferguson will provide the tunes from noon-10:00pm each day; food and drinks will be available, and if you don’t have your own bike (model 1999 and older preferred), there will be a select few vintage period bikes available for use. Overnight parking is permitted; cost of entry for the weekend is $30. MX ride is $20 per day and BMX ride is $10 per day. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Mortons Corners Fire Department, which handles all of the EMS calls in Zoar Valley - from accidents to routine traffic stops. The money will help them pay for new equipment, etc. For more information on the route and registrations for the event, call 716-783-5174.
You can also save the date for Dayton’s 14th Annual Dice Run and Bike Blessing, hosted by The Master’s Plan Cafe and sponsored by the Little Valley Wesleyan Church. Happening on Saturday, August 12th this year, registration will take place from 10:00-11:00am and kickstands go up at 11:15am outside of the cafe at 9586 Railroad Avenue, Dayton NY. After the ride there will be an auction, music and great BBQ to enjoy. There is no set cost; they just ask for a Free Will Offering so you can help them help others. This dice run’s funds go towards supporting local families in need, so those who would otherwise go without do not have to. Last year, The Master’s Plan helped over 10,000 people and they ask for your help to do it again. You can find details on how to participate or what you can do to donate by calling 716-725-9229.
When you are talking bikes, you can’t forget the Godfather, Harley-Davidson, which recently celebrated its 120th Year Anniversary! Harley-Davidson of Jamestown, located at 1951 E. Main Street in Falconer, NY) is having their 6th Annual Hot Rods & Cool Bikes event on Saturday, July 29th. It’s their biggest event of the year. Registration is just $10 for a vehicle or bike entering the show and runs from 9:00-11:00am. There are 5 judged categories such as Cars: Best Hot Rod, and Bikes: Best Un-Restored Original. Ion Sky will provide the live entertainment and both Fowler’s Taffy and Basil & Bones Food Truck will be onsite with their tasty offerings for purchase. All proceeds (100%) will be donated to Meals on Wheels of Falconer, NY… feeding the hungry one bike/car at a time!
Whoa, that’s a lot of fantastic events! And that’s only a few of the many happening around our area. So remember when you see a large group of bikes on the road and you feel inconvenienced when they block traffic or slow you down, they are most likely riding to support their own local areas and great causes. Be patient. Be appreciative. Or better yet, head out to some of these events and help them, because when everyone comes together, that’s when the magic happens. Keep on riding!
