Motorcyclists and Me

So a week or so ago I was contacted by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Every year I participate in what is called a "Ride-4-Kids" which is basically a group of motorcyclists that come together and do a charity ride for children with brain tumors. They raise money for pediatric brain tumor research, and also raise money for college scholarships. (I was a recipient for some of the scholarship money all throughout my college education, and it DEFINITELY helped!)

Also, all the little kids that have had brain tumors (myself included) get to ride with someone on a motorcycle or trike through the canyon along with this giant train of motorcycles. It's a great ride, and I love it! Then we eat lunch at the park, there's a raffle with drawings, and then all the children that are survivors (or the "stars") get to be interviewed by someone from the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Some of the interviews are pretty darn funny, and of course some make you cry, but in my opinion everyone who participates leaves uplifted and excited for next year.

So anyway, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) Utah event coordinators contacted me and asked if I would come to the Miller Motor Sports Park in Toole and participate in a "Celebration of Life" event with the PBTF national director Kyle Clack. I love to help out in any way that I can, so of course I said I would love to participate.

The event was to take place over Memorial Day Weekend during the Super Bike World Cup. Josh and I got free passes to the events (wa-hoo!) and spent the day at the Motor Sports Park. It was a lot of fun! I got to ride on the race track (that's right! the one where they do all of the racing!) with a lady named Cathy. Cathy has a trike, and she's a spitfire lady that's in her sixties, and has bright white hair. Josh was great support, he got pictures of every single motorcyclist that participated in the parade.... except for me. It was pretty funny =) Then because I hadn't realized that I would need my ticket to reenter the park (we had to go out one gate to another to ride on the track) she and I snuck back-into the park past security... I felt like I was in a James Bond movie. Cathy was Bond. And so that makes me Bond's girlfriend, the one that ends up dead... Ok, so bad movie analogy, but you get the idea =)

Then Kyle Clack, (the national guy for PBTF) took me and Josh to lunch! It was a lot of fun, Kyle is a fantastic guy, and he has a lot of heart. And hair. And earrings.

Kyle's been the national director for the last seven years and he is passionate about what he does. He has been a motorcyclist for years, and worked in the motorcycle industry before he transitioned to being the director for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. He said that motorcyclists all have a unique gene that is somehow embedded in them, that makes them passionate for life in a unique way. So that makes them awesome candidates for charity work, because they bring two passions together, their passion for life, and their passion for motorcycles. And it's true, all of the motorcyclists that I have met at these events throughout the last six years have been dedicated and hardworking people committed to the PBTF cause and passionate about people and life. Despite their sometimes hard-looking exteriors, these people are genuine.

So then we went onstage and another girl Holly and I spoke. Holly is another girl that had brain tumors and is now in college. We spoke about what it means to be a survivor of a pediatric brain tumor, and how as a teenager life was a little different. And how the scholarship program can literally change a survivor's life, because for many it means the difference between going to college or not.

And of course, I only made it about halfway through my speech before I started crying. Someday I'll be able to make it all the way through... maybe =) But hey, when I start crying others start crying too, so I'm not crying alone! haha!

Overall, it was a great day, and I am really excited about the ride this year. It's usually the third Saturday in August, and for me it means celebrating life in the company of motorcycle buddies and family.

And celebrating life is what I do best.