Thunder Roads Colorado Magazine Volume 10 - Issue 12 | Page 17

by Bill Maddick VETERAN’S CORNER Colorado Veterans Motorcycle Clubs and Riding Clubs I t is the burden of every columnist to wonder where the next thousand words are going to come from for next article coming in the next month, which is exactly how I came up with the idea of doing a series on veteran related MCs and riding clubs. During the ensuing two months of research I found that I do not know that I have ever been more proud of being a veteran with the stories I have heard about all the charitable things these clubs do. They support veterans, do fund raisers for any of a number of veteran related causes; take care of cancer patients, deliver Christmas gifts personally and hold runs and that is just the beginning. It has been an inspiration and I am honored to have the opportunity to give these clubs all some ink, with the goal of listing every veterans club here that wants the exposure. As I mentioned in the previous issue, there is no particular order to the clubs included here, alphabetic or otherwise. The order is simply determined by who I can connect with first for an interview. Certainly, there is no favoritism involved in the order they are included. In fact, we welcome all feedback, so if you don’t see your club mentioned here, or if you happened to know of a club that should be, please contact me: billm@ ThunderRoadsColorado.com. Here are the clubs that we talked to for this month. U.S. Veterans Riding Club is a family oriented club, made up of veterans, and their families, who are dedicated to supporting veterans, veteran related functions, charitable organizations and to keeping POW/MIA awareness alive. They are a 501(c)3 charity and MacGyver, vice president of the Colorado State Chapter, adds that they have numerous members with a new chapter in Colorado Springs and another in Arizona. You do not have to be a veteran to join, though if you are not, they would prefer that you are a close family member of one. This club holds various activities to raise money for an impressive array of veterans and veteran causes, not to mention that their biggest donation goes to the Fisher House—a sort of Ronald McDonald House for veteran families staying with a loved one here at the VA Hospital. As well, they also support Homes for Our Troops, a charity that builds mortgage free homes for severely wounded veterans who need special adaptations. As if that isn’t enough, they also contribute to Pets for Vets as well as to Freedom Service Dogs. That is a pretty impressive slate of charity, which leads MacGyver to say that their club is a “damn worthy cause.” A self described loner all of his life, he says that he finally found a home with the US Vets Riding Club. Their web site is http://usvrc.org/ and he can be contacted either through his email at [email protected], or call him at 303-9094130. If you happen to have a copy of the July issue hanging around, check out his picture on page 17 center bottom—the guy with the Fu Manchu. Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association is comprised of veterans from all branches of the service who ride motorcycles as a hobby. Their mission is to support and defend those who www.thunderroadscolorado.com have defended our country and its freedoms. Having seen these guys around, I always wondered what the criteria for joining was. Turns out, all that is required for full membership is to have verifiable combat service. And if you should have missed that distinction, but still served, you may join as a supporter, though both full and support members must own and ride a motorcycle. So you don’t have to be a John Wayne or bring back the head of a terrorist or even be a hero, as I had previously wondered. This inclusive policy has produced some 15,000 members nationwide with Colorado having seven chapters itself, and there is at least one chapter in virtually every other state with most states having more than one. I spoke with Axe, the PR representative for Colorado chapter 3-1, who hold their every other month meetings at the American Legion Post #178 in Lakewood. He informed that their chapter has 100 full time members plus18 auxiliary (auxiliary are wives of members who may or may not ride). He shares that it is all about vets helping vets and that they support all veterans, whether combat veterans or not. They do a lot of runs to raise money, poker and otherwise, and actively support Paralyzed Veterans of America as well as participating with many other veteran related groups. Their website is https://www.combatvet. org/ or you can email Axe at [email protected]. Otherwise, give him a call: 719-493-3036. Devil Dogs Motorcycle Club is listed in the Colorado Coalition of clubs (COC) as well as the Coalition of Independent Riders. But their name comes from the valor that the U.S. Marines displayed at the battle of Belleau Wood during WWI when the German army referred to them as the “hounds from hell.” The name stuck and the motorcycle club proudly wears it today. As you might guess, in order to join you must first and foremost be a U.S. Marine. And they are a motorcycle club in the old traditional sense. Redneck, Colorado State President, says that if you join, you will be a prospect until you earn 100% acceptance by the membership. It must work since they now have two Denver chapters. He further notes that he gets about a 99% participation rate in scheduled events and adds that “we live the motorcycle lifestyle.” “The Few, The Proud, The Marines;” these guys have earned it and they continue to exhibit the highest standards of the Marine Corps in their club. No surprise then that they contribute to Marines and their families, but Redneck notes that they have members from the Korean War through the present, with one 87 year old member still riding while carrying his O2 bottle. Oohrah! They provide Christmas for needy families, have cared personally for cancer patients and hosted a holiday party last year with Lola Black to earn money for overseas packages for our troops. They get a salute from me. For more info, check the website at http://devildogsmc.wix.com/devildogsmccolorado or contact Redneck at [email protected]. Stay tuned in the upcoming months to see more about the veterans clubs. September 2015 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 15