Humbled by Harley riders
Discussion
This is a tribute & thank you to the Hogs Back Chapter (Guildford Surrey) of the Harley-Davidson Club. It is also a thank you to ALL bikers who give up their time for others.
Today I witnessed 9 Harley-Davidson riders turn up on their bikes & trikes to entertain & take for a ride many terminally ill patients some in their 90's at a Day Respite centre of a south cost hospice. Staff had gone to much trouble to ensure that risk assessments & health & safety issues had been addressed & then it was a case of staff & volunteers helping the patients onto a bike for a short ride. Even the requirement to be permanently attached to an oxygen bottle didn't stop the fun.
It would have taken a hard heart not to have been moved to tears to see the joy in the patients faces & I know from my own time amidst them that today will be the subject of much happy reflection.
Thank you guys & gals its a pleasure to make public this thank you.
Today I witnessed 9 Harley-Davidson riders turn up on their bikes & trikes to entertain & take for a ride many terminally ill patients some in their 90's at a Day Respite centre of a south cost hospice. Staff had gone to much trouble to ensure that risk assessments & health & safety issues had been addressed & then it was a case of staff & volunteers helping the patients onto a bike for a short ride. Even the requirement to be permanently attached to an oxygen bottle didn't stop the fun.
It would have taken a hard heart not to have been moved to tears to see the joy in the patients faces & I know from my own time amidst them that today will be the subject of much happy reflection.
Thank you guys & gals its a pleasure to make public this thank you.
My local bike club ''5 counties motorcycle club'' did a run at Easter to a day car for disabled young adults.
I will never forget the Joy beaming from them as the pack of us rode in to their car park, they were jumping up down screaming and shouting in happiness.
When we parked up they all came over and looked at the bikes and those that were able made conversation with us, after that our van turned up with all of the Easter eggs on board which were dished out to them all.
It was one of the most humbling days of my short ish life so far, I wouldn't say I was moved to tears, but to bring that much happiness to a group of unfortunate people (I say that lightly, no offence intended) was such an amazing feeling.
Trust me bikers are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.
ETA - We didn't get any press coverage at all
I will never forget the Joy beaming from them as the pack of us rode in to their car park, they were jumping up down screaming and shouting in happiness.
When we parked up they all came over and looked at the bikes and those that were able made conversation with us, after that our van turned up with all of the Easter eggs on board which were dished out to them all.
It was one of the most humbling days of my short ish life so far, I wouldn't say I was moved to tears, but to bring that much happiness to a group of unfortunate people (I say that lightly, no offence intended) was such an amazing feeling.
Trust me bikers are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.
ETA - We didn't get any press coverage at all
Edited by Bailey93 on Friday 21st July 07:27
As expected the patients in today who had had enjoyed the H-D day spent most of the morning in animated discussion sharing their experiences with fellow patients unable to attend.
I downloaded the Hog Backs Chapters own photographs from last years visit plus a series of H-D bike pictures including some early & current pictures of the factory & showed them on the wide TV screen accompanied of course by the Easy Rider film soundtrack (Steppenwolf?) & Mike Sarne's 1960's pop song "Just for Kicks" - you're REALLY old if you know it.
Pictures of yesterdays visit is already on Facebook I gather.
I downloaded the Hog Backs Chapters own photographs from last years visit plus a series of H-D bike pictures including some early & current pictures of the factory & showed them on the wide TV screen accompanied of course by the Easy Rider film soundtrack (Steppenwolf?) & Mike Sarne's 1960's pop song "Just for Kicks" - you're REALLY old if you know it.
Pictures of yesterdays visit is already on Facebook I gather.
Cool story. Must have taken some hard work to arrange all the H&S details.
I remember many years ago my wife worked as an agency carer in a cancer hospice in our town quite often. One fairly young guy was chronically ill with (I think) stomach cancer. She mentioned to him that we had a hot rod, and he told her he had always dreamed of having such a car.
They had the idea to arrange for me to take him for a ride around in it. They obviously had to ask a bunch of people, but then a few days into the planning she came home after work one day and told me there would be no need after all........
I remember many years ago my wife worked as an agency carer in a cancer hospice in our town quite often. One fairly young guy was chronically ill with (I think) stomach cancer. She mentioned to him that we had a hot rod, and he told her he had always dreamed of having such a car.
They had the idea to arrange for me to take him for a ride around in it. They obviously had to ask a bunch of people, but then a few days into the planning she came home after work one day and told me there would be no need after all........
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