Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
ARCOLA - Chances are most people would have found the sight somewhat odd - nearly 400 motorcycles, most of them Harley-Davidson "Hogs," in a church parking lot.
After all, attending a church service doesn't exactly fit the bikers' image given to us by Marlon Brando's "Wild Bunch" or Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider." But the 10 members of the Kosciusko County ABATE (American Bikers Active Toward Education) Chapter don't fit that celluloid stereotype.
The group was attending the annual "Blessing of the Bikes" at St. Patrick's Catholic Church here Saturday morning.
Following a recitation of the Lord's Prayer, Father Eugene Koers, pastor of St. Patrick's, blessed the holy water to be used in consecrating the motorcycles.
"Oh God, bless these motorcycles and those who ride them. And see that their journeys are safe ones," Koers said.
He then walked through the gathered men, women and machines, splashing all with the holy water.
"We've been doing this for about 10 years," said Chuck "Seymour" Moore, ABATE's Region Zero director. "One of our members goes to church here and asked the padre to bless his bike, because they bless pets and boats and other things.
"We started out with about 50 people and now we get more than 400," he added.
Region Zero encompasses eight northeast Indiana counties from Lagrange and Steuben on the Michigan state line south to Wells and Adams counties. Kosciusko County is in Region 1, with St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall and Fulton counties.
According to Kirby Lemond, Kosciusko County ABATE representative who led the local contingent to the blessing, it's become an unofficial start of the riding season.
"We go every year at the start of the season for God's blessing that everyone has safe rides," Lemond said. "It's a good way to start the year."
According to Joe Rose of Claypool and a Vietnam veteran, who was one of the county participants in Saturday's events, motorcycling is not just for the young but also for the young of heart. He was attending his third blessing.
"My neighbor, John Board, is 67 and we ride together all the time," Rose said. "We came over here last year, but we were a day late and rode up when they were having mass."
Rose made sure he was on time this year.
Lemond said Region 1 will host its own Blessing of the Bikes ceremony in Nappanee May 16. That's just one of the numerous events the regional organization sponsors. Some of the others raise funds for such programs as Toys For Tots, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Boys and Girls Club of Kosciusko County.
"Region 1 puts on a 'Fun Run' for MDA every year. Last year it was the largest event in the Midwest and raised more than $150,000," he said. "We also do a bowl-a-thon every year for the Boys & Girls Club. The one we had March 27 raised $225 for them."
