Sunshine Kids Saturday, June 9th...

[f-Stop]

It's that time again for the Sunshine Kids Hill Country Adventure!  You may, or may not know about this yearly event which gives kids dealing with cancer a chance to experience the thrill of being in the wind on a motorcycle.  This ride on June 9th is only one part of the "Adventure", but has become something the kids truly look forward to and our CenTex group has been involved with this event since '09.  So, please mark your calendars and let's show these kids what the best cruiser ever built is all about...again!

Here we are in 2010 after the ride with our passengers...



Here's the particulars sent to me by Randy from the EVO MC Club...

Sunshine Kids is an organization dedicated to allowing kids with life threatening illness a chance to be a kid again. They do this with volunteers and donations. SSK has nine national trips each year, one of those trips is the Texas Hill Country Adventure. The kids will be arriving here in San marcos beginning June 3 and will be here till June 10. Each day they are here they have a planned activity . I am not sure of the exact schedule because I am only involved with Saturday the 9th but in past years it has been one day at Sea World, one day at Schlitterbahn, a ride to the State Capitol in exotic cars, a day at Texas State camp on the Blanco River, a day on the San marcos River. The last Saturday they are here we give them a law enforcement escorted motorcycle ride. I have been told that this is the most popular event of the trip.  I can also tell you from experience that this is the most moving event I have ever been a part of. Each year we get kids from all over the country , they come in groups of four with a maximum of 32 kids. The kids are nominated for the trip by Doctors, usually after a grueling treatment schedule. Hospitals from around the country sponsor groups of four kids, with that group they send at least one nurse. So with staff, kids and medical people the trip could include up to 45 people. Usually and unfortunatly as the trip date gets closer some of the kids get sick again and cannot make the trip. so we usually have 24 or 28 kids and their support. On arrival day these kids come in and really dont know their fellow trippers, so they are a little quiet, a little shy, and a little reserved. I think this is because they are used to being a little different than the kids they are normally with. Different because they usually do not have any hair, a little pail because they have not been outside much, a little thin because they just have not had an appetite. Different for no fault of their own.  By the time Saturday comes around they have discovered that they are not different they are just kids. Kids that are ready to go for a motorcycle ride. I have been doing this for 12 years and I still get emotional just thinking about it. The fact that I have a chance to put a smile on the face of a kid is great, but to see that smile is just fantastic.
 
 We will need a minimum of 30 bikes available to carry a passenger, kids first then medical personnel , then staff. But we encourage people to show up even if they cannot ,or do not want to carry a passenger. The more bikes we have the more exiting it is  for the kids. I ask for anyone carrying a passenger to have a passenger back rest, I also ask for anyone with extra helmets to bring them , we do want all the kids to wear a helmet. The schedule is a s follows.
 
   Dicks Classic Garage will open for us at 9am
   I would like all bikes to be there by 9:30 am
   We will have a short safety briefing at 9:45
   Kids will arrive at 10 am
   Departure will be after kids have selected the bike they would like to ride and are staged.
 
   We will take about a 40 minute ride and drop the kids off at Lubys Cafateria. All are encouraged to hang out  with the kids for a little while and maybe eat a little lunch.
 
 
   If you have any more questions please let me know. You can also go to www.sunhinekids.org  for more information about the Sunshine Kids Foundation.
You can also get information about Dicks Classic Garage at www.dicksclassicgarage.com
 

[Old Geezer Richard]

 Hey Charlie , you can count me in for that Special Day    ...  it would be too cool if my little friend Bryan shows up again , hoping anyway    ....  those kids are all GREAT    ...  Thanks the Geezer 

[SideCar]

Very cool. Wish I were going to be in Texas for this, but we'll be traveling. Have fun with these kids.

[Old Geezer Richard]

 Hey F-stop , let me know where we are going to meet up that morning ???  I'm assuming somewhere on I-35 North , I'll give Curtis a heads up about that weekend I know he'll want to join in    ....  Thanks the Geezer 

[f-Stop]

Hey Geez and everybody that I've talked to and or emailed about this event,  I will not be there.  My family and I will be in Venice...Italy...the tickets where bought and paid for a long time ago.  Otherwise, I would most surely be there with the Sunshine Kids again!

Just to reiterate, this is one of the coolest things you can ever do on your Valkyrie.  The feeling of giving these kids the thrill of a lifetime simply by letting them ride on the back of your bike cannot be put into words.  It is well worth the small amount effort to make this event.  Even if you don't get a rider, the kids get a big thrill out of just being around all the cool bikes and the Valkyries are always singled out as something unique amongst all the Harleys.

The only thing the Sunshine Kids organization is asking from you is to show up with your bike (and helmet if you want a rider).  There will not be anyone out there asking for donations and as a matter of fact they will be giving out pins and patches to all the bikers.  It is a very laid back, fun event! 

 

[Disco]

I wish I could be there.  Sounds like a great cause.  Thank you to all who participate.   

[f-Stop]

The weather should be great for the Ride Saturday morning and if you are attending the ROT Rally, you'll be done in plenty of time to get back for all the fun.

[godfire]

Man, I wish that I was closer.... would love to be there! Ride Safe and Have FUN! 

[Timbo]

Wish I were closer...sounds like a wonderful event.  I would love to participate but can't this time.  Are there similar events up North?

[Hef]

Thanks to all of you who participate. Great event! Wish they had something like this in our area.

[Old Geezer Richard]

  Hey Centex , I plan on going to the Sunshine Benefit Ride Sat. morning and leaving my house at 8:00 AM to get there before 9:30 in San Marcos  ....  If any Centex members would like to ride up together give me a jingle or post something otherwise I'll meet everybody there be sure to look at the Dick's Classic web page for directions  ...  I will have a friend Ross from the school dist. we work at he wants to ride along ...  I'll be watching the weather to see IF its gonna rain on Sat. morning because I would imagine if it does , the Sunshine group wouldn't want to take a chance if the roads were a little wet .... Thanks the Geezer  

[Mofla]

I'm in and will c u geez at the rest stop on I-35 at 8:00 ! I hear we will meet others at Buckys in N/B !