Day 16
September 15, 2020
Day 18
September 15, 2020
125 STORIES IN 125 DAYS
DAY 17
Fire House Run
The year was 2008. After reviewing the preparation and execution plan and financial report for the last golf tournament. It was evident that we needed something new. There was a great need for a new fundraiser for the Comporium Pioneer Club. Members were exhausted from labor intensive fundraising projects as well as small profit events. It was something fundraising all the time.
I had wanted to do a local bike ride, mainly as an excuse to pay more attention to my motorcycle that sat alone in my garage almost every day. I thought back to my days as a football parent and how we had raised money by selling sponsorships and wondered if I could pull off a ride that got Comporium workers and others together to ride, fellowship and be good stewards-as the Lord intended. I started talking to every motorcycle rider in the company that I knew and decided this should be our new fundraiser if I could get others to buy in. Participation had dropped significantly, and it would only work if I had Club support.
I began planning the event. Early May since it was close to the SPRING BEACH BIKE RALLY and would get those lonely motorcycles out and be ready for some time at the Beach. I spent hours upon hours researching what folks liked and disliked from other rides and planned for mine to be the “Best”.
The Club supported my recommendation to hold the event and my Fire Department agreed to host it. How could I lose? The truthful answer is I could not. I did not meet the goal that I had set prior to the event but the glowing reviews made up for that. It also boosted my confidence to try again.
Since I had missed my goal on the Firehouse Run ride, I had another bright idea. Why don’t we create a brick paver memorial place to honor those that serve and had served our Country? This could also provide a fundraising opportunity by selling the bricks. I had located a spot at Camp Bethelwoods and lo and behold the day I took the first person to help see my vision—We realized the name of the picnic area I had chosen was actually named the Pioneer Picnic Area.
Of course, there were funds to be raised so on September 20, 2008 we had a motorcycle ride aptly named “The We Remember Ride”. We were able to secure a very nice flagpole from Comporium that had been removed from one of their buildings. It provided the centerpiece for the Memorial. I reached out to Lowes to purchase the pavers and when they heard what I was doing, they reached out to their supplier of pavers who said, “ Give them what you have in stock at no cost and we will replace your stock”. The Memorial monument was engraved and placed in 2009. There are pavers for relatives dating back to the American Revolution as well as one for Chris Kyle—America’s most famous Sniper. There are more pavers available by contacting me 803-448-816 or leon.yard@comporim.com for anyone that wants to recognize or honor a friend, relative, neighbor or even a stranger.
I must stop now. I have coordinated 18 motorcycle events and they tend to be reproductive in nature. By the time, you finish one –you generally know of another Great Cause or Need. Maybe they will post a second motorcycle ramble about another way we helped our Veterans. Fingers Crossed!
Leon Yard
1997-Present
The year was 2008. After reviewing the preparation and execution plan and financial report for the last golf tournament. It was evident that we needed something new. There was a great need for a new fundraiser for the Comporium Pioneer Club. Members were exhausted from labor intensive fundraising projects as well as small profit events. It was something fundraising all the time.
I had wanted to do a local bike ride, mainly as an excuse to pay more attention to my motorcycle that sat alone in my garage almost every day. I thought back to my days as a football parent and how we had raised money by selling sponsorships and wondered if I could pull off a ride that got Comporium workers and others together to ride, fellowship and be good stewards-as the Lord intended. I started talking to every motorcycle rider in the company that I knew and decided this should be our new fundraiser if I could get others to buy in. Participation had dropped significantly, and it would only work if I had Club support.
I began planning the event. Early May since it was close to the SPRING BEACH BIKE RALLY and would get those lonely motorcycles out and be ready for some time at the Beach. I spent hours upon hours researching what folks liked and disliked from other rides and planned for mine to be the “Best”.
The Club supported my recommendation to hold the event and my Fire Department agreed to host it. How could I lose? The truthful answer is I could not. I did not meet the goal that I had set prior to the event but the glowing reviews made up for that. It also boosted my confidence to try again.
Since I had missed my goal on the Firehouse Run ride, I had another bright idea. Why don’t we create a brick paver memorial place to honor those that serve and had served our Country? This could also provide a fundraising opportunity by selling the bricks. I had located a spot at Camp Bethelwoods and lo and behold the day I took the first person to help see my vision—We realized the name of the picnic area I had chosen was actually named the Pioneer Picnic Area.
Of course, there were funds to be raised so on September 20, 2008 we had a motorcycle ride aptly named “The We Remember Ride”. We were able to secure a very nice flagpole from Comporium that had been removed from one of their buildings. It provided the centerpiece for the Memorial. I reached out to Lowes to purchase the pavers and when they heard what I was doing, they reached out to their supplier of pavers who said, “ Give them what you have in stock at no cost and we will replace your stock”. The Memorial monument was engraved and placed in 2009. There are pavers for relatives dating back to the American Revolution as well as one for Chris Kyle—America’s most famous Sniper. There are more pavers available by contacting me 803-448-816 or leon.yard@comporim.com for anyone that wants to recognize or honor a friend, relative, neighbor or even a stranger.
I must stop now. I have coordinated 18 motorcycle events and they tend to be reproductive in nature. By the time, you finish one –you generally know of another Great Cause or Need. Maybe they will post a second motorcycle ramble about another way we helped our Veterans. Fingers Crossed!
Leon Yard
1997-Present
