| DATE 03/23/2003 7:29 PM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Heritage Council on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Sanpete County to play host to Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) fund raising activities |
| Sanpete County will play host to between 100 and 300 members of the Utah chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), who are gathering in the region April 25 – 27 for a weekend of fund raising activities. The group, organized about five years ago with the goal of creating a safer environment for abused children, will be staying at the Wind Walker Guest Ranch outside of Mt. Pleasant. The ranch will be used as a starting base for a weekend “poker run” aimed at raising money for the group’s cause. Bikers will ride to numerous cities in the Sanpete County area, including Fountain Green, Gunnison, Ephraim and Mt. Pleasant, as well as Levan, collecting playing cards and pledges along the way. BACA works with local and state officials to lend emotional and physical support to abused children, including supporting them at court and parole hearings and attending interviews. The organization now has 24 chapters in 22 states and in Canada.
The weekend event, which is being held at the end of April as part of National Child Abuse Prevention month, is being coordinated with assistance from Loretta Johnson, owner of the Wind Walker Guest Ranch, and Curt Hawkins, who has helped organize tours of U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway. Hawkins says he became acquainted with BACA while covering a court trial in Utah County. “I’m not a biker, not even close, but I heard about what they do and I was drawn to it. The dedication of this group has simply blown me away. “Every year, BACA sponsors events like this one to raise money for children, and I thought that Sanpete County and the Wind Walker Guest Ranch was the perfect venue for it, not to mention Highway 89.” Hawkins points out that the historic highway 89 was named the No. 1 riding trail in the nation a couple of years ago by the American Motorcycle Association. “It has some of the most scenic riding trails around,” he says. The fund raising “poker run” will be held on Saturday, with bikers riding through the participating communities. “We should have between 100 to 300 bikers, and they tend to attract a lot of attention wherever they go,” Hawkins says. Following the “run,” there will be a dance and other activities at the Wind Walker Guest Ranch, which will be open to the public. Sunday there will be games and other activities at the ranch. Some BACA members and other participants may also camp at the rodeo grounds in Mt. Pleasant throughout the weekend. |
| For more information Contact:Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council at (435) 462-2502, or BACA members John Motsinger (801) 224-7583 or Todd Bailey, (801) 763-0887.
Monte Bona |
