Pic's from this event can be found
here
The Lap Dance Riders 2nd Annual Tab Run
to Children’s Hospital
-Benefiting Ronald McDonald House,
Birmingham,
Alabama.
On July 26, 2009 -39 bikes, 5 cars &
trucks assembled in Hartselle, Alabama at the home of LDR VP Kenneth
‘Lapdance’ & Cindy ‘Whatever’ Kelley. Over 85 bikers
attended the 2nd Annual Tab Run to Children’s
Hospital in
Birmingham,
Alabama. Proceeds
benefited the patients of Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald
House of
Birmingham.
When the Kelley’s son was born
premature in 1987, they were given the opportunity to stay for over a
month at RMH. Ronald McDonald House provides temporary housing for
families of Children’s Hospital’s patients, while they are being
treated. Many travel from all over the south to
Birmingham for medical
care. In an effort to create awareness, the Kelley daughters hosted a
high school sorority event by collecting can pull tabs for RMH in
2007.
In 2008 the LDR decided to carry on
this tradition of awareness by collecting can tabs annually for
Children’s Hospital and RMH. This became a great idea for the 1st
Annual Lapdance Riders of
North Alabama Tab Run. Having a
great cause to ride for…What better reason to ride? It’s for the kids!
The first run produced 23 gallons of can pull tabs delivered by 32
bikes and 65 bikers.
The 2009 LDR Tab Run included a cash
donation from the proceeds of a previously held chopper raffle
combined with private donations from the Lap Dance Riders of
North Alabama and Friends. A total
of $685 was donated to RMH. The LDR donated more than 100 beanie
babies and 184 Gallons of can pull tabs; that’s approximately 828,000
tabs. Far exceeding the goal of 50 gallons!
The 2009 Tab Run began in
Hartselle,
Alabama and was given a
police escort by Hartselle Police Department to I-65 South. The U.A.B.
Police escorted the riders to Children’s Hospital through downtown
Birmingham. Special thanks
to those officers who are there to protect and serve our communities
everyday!
While parking, we saw the little
children’s faces, through the glass walls, watching, bright eyed,
behind their protective masks…this was enough to tear your heart out
and we were still on the bikes! Many children spend countless days
there, fighting diseases no child should ever have to endure. The
children that were able to come down to the lobby selected a beanie
baby from the little red wagons. One child, who couldn’t come down
from his bed, requested a ‘biker’ come up to visit. LDR
President Bob ‘Merlin’ & Dawn ‘Freddie’ Potter took him a bear and
visited for a while.
We met 10 year old,
Savannah, with the “smiling eyes” (all
you could see behind her mask- but she was smiling as she posed for a
picture on a bike!) and her older cousin, Jessica, who was
Savannah’s protector.
Brandon, who picked a white bear, because it reminded him of snow with
his brother and Mother in tow, hung out with us a while. A sister from
Mississippi chose a
patriotic bear for her sister upstairs, but not one for herself. The
beautiful teenager, Libby, picked a pink flamingo to match her lime
green socks; her BFF with bright blue socks, gave up her own
Saturday to hang with her. (Well, at least they had the bikers to
entertain them today.) The mothers and fathers were grateful for the
diversion from hall walking. We met 15 months old, Aidan, with his
curly locks, 4 month old, Vivian, pretty in pink and 7 day old, Ivy,
from
Kenya. All
of the children and their parents were truly amazing, their optimism,
their smiles. Their kind words of appreciation to us, for taking our
time out for them. The pleasure was all ours, I assure you.
While traveling down the highway back
home with my band of brothers and sisters,
knees in the breeze,
I thought, how blessed and fortunate we all are. Also, there were a
couple of things in particular that stand out from our visit…no matter
how tough you act or think you are, being there, seeing those little
faces, will make the toughest…have tears in their eyes. And
like these families, mothers, fathers, cousins, sisters and
brothers…everyone had someone to care for them…we ALL have to stick
together…WE are all we’ve got.
Jo Jo Bejeweled Sunshine
Event Coordinator
LDR R/C
Charter Member
