On Saturday, Oct. 15 members of the St. George Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) held their 10th annual rally in the Mesquite area.
The rally/poker run was set to begin at 9 a.m. with the first stop at the Mesquite Fire Station #3 for an Open House and pancake breakfast. The poker run took them to Overton, through the Valley of Fire and Moapa eventually ending up back in Mesquite.
A full schedule of activities was set for the entire day with music, t-shirt sales, and a raffle for a brand new Harley Davidson among other things.
The rally has been held since 2009 by retired Mohave County Sheriff Mike (Beezer) Hoggard who works closely with the Valley of Fire travel center and the Mesquite Fire Department. The Valley of Fire allows BACA members to travel through the park for free and the travel plaza itself is one of the poker run stops.
The Mesquite Fire Department provides each of the poker run members a pancake breakfast during their first stop of the run and the BACA members in turn donate $3 a meal to the Fire Department allowing the firefighters to raise a bit of funds while giving the bikers a hearty start to a great ride.
Approximately 100 bikers from Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California show up each year for this event.
According to their web site, BACA exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. They exist as a body of bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. They stand ready to lend support to their wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. BACA works in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. They desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of their organization, and that they are prepared to lend their physical and emotional support to them by affiliation and physical presence. They stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. BACA does not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that they are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, they stand ready to be that obstacle.
For more information on BACA contact them at International Information Helpline Number 1-866-71-ABUSE.
Retired deputy Hoggard was a great law enforcement officer for AZ. He spent countless hours patrolling and helping people. Good guy and happy retirement. This is a great cause.
I read the newspaper and it seems like you write about events and things going on in Mesquite AFTER THE FACT .
Like this biker rally and like VFW thing at Sun City and the car show.
It would be nice to have a write up before these functions so more people can go to them.
Also some follow ups like the city council meeting with some results.
Thanks
The Sun City event was for Sun City residents only and not open to the public whichi is why that particular event wasn’t publicized except at Sun City. The biker rally was in the Community Calendar for the Oct. 13 edition. Most events are announced before they happen with the exception of those who do not send us the information…we can’t read minds.
Thanks
I am from Sun City and didn’t see this in there weekly flyer.