06

November HeartBeat

are Rick and Mary

Burkey, and we have been involved with CMA for 20 years. Here is our journey.

I( Rick) was first introduced to CMA in 2001 by Mike“ Mountain Man” Lambourne while I was doing mechanical work for him. He knew I was a Christian and enjoyed riding, so he thought I might be interested in CMA. He introduced me to a group of people. Soon after, we began the process of forming a chapter, Damascus Road Riders in Petersburg, West Virginia. In 2002, I sent in my CMA membership application. Shortly after that, I received my cassette tapes and took the Ministry Team to wear the back patch. Over the next few years, I served out of that chapter as a member and then as President. During this time, I watched the ministry grow and administrative changes start to take place. The HeartBeat transitioned from a“ newsprint” style newsletter to a color magazine,

and quarterly reports were no longer prepared with pen and paper.

I( Mary) was introduced to CMA in 2005 when Rick and I started dating. I had never been on a bike before and had no idea what a poker run was, but there I was having a blast. About a year later, Rick invited me to the West Virginia State CMA rally, where I met a great group of people and began to see what CMA was like. A couple of weeks later, he took me to my first secular motorcycle rally, where I spent the day parking bikes and giving out water with people I barely knew. There I was, at the end of the day, covered in coal dust and so exhausted I could barely stand, but still smiling. The next day, I sent in my application to CMA and ordered my Ministry Team.

In 2007, we got married, and CMA has been a way of life for us ever since. We even attended our first CMA National East Rally in Gray,

Tennessee, for our honeymoon. Over the years, we’ ve had the privilege of serving CMA as members, chapter officers, Area Representatives, State Coordinators, and even filling in as Goodie Representatives. We’ ve enjoyed traveling to different states and serving with members from all over. One of the beautiful things about CMA is the love that shines through its members, regardless of their background or life experiences.

One of our favorite memories is the 2010 Changing of the Colors International Rally at Iron Mountain. It was at that event that we learned two things. CMA was much bigger than the membership in our region and coming to Iron Mountain really is like coming“ home.”

As the newly appointed Evangelist of the Northeast Region, we look forward to seeing what God will do through CMA in the next two decades.

CMA