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Submitted by Harvey Mover
The thirteenth Loop for Life Motorcycle Ride and Event took
place August 23rd at the Marion County Fair in Indianapolis,
Indiana. The preliminary numbers indicated that nearly $100,000
was raised, a portion of which will be donated to the SPF.
The morning of the Loop for Life was consumed by breakfast and
getting the nearly 2800 motorcyclists registered and arranged.
About 100 volunteers helped with this task, including Karen
Johnson and Steven Stuckey and his daughter who have SP or HSP.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department provided the
escort for almost 10 miles worth of motorcycles on I-465 around
Indianapolis.
Lunch was provided to all the riders while they enjoyed the
vendor midway with motorcycle apparel, sunglasses, pin
stripping, and the ride-in bike show. It was a hot and sunny day
so some people left a little early, but the event and turnout
was extraordinary. Everyone was excited to participate and raise
money for such a worthy cause.
Karen Johnson adds
Harvey Mover’s 13th Annual Loop for Life was a blast! It was
on August 23rd, in Indianapolis, naturally, and the weather and
turnout was great. If you’ve never been maybe you don’t know
about “The Loop”. It’s Indiana’s Interstate 465 which circles
around Indianapolis and is about 50 miles long. The police have
all the exits blocked just for this event and 2000-3000
motorcycles ride the Loop, often with well wishers gathering and
waving from overpasses and the on-ramps as the bikes pass. This
year six SPFers, along with lots of other volunteers in bright
orange t-shirts, helped with the event.
Regardless of their reputation, bikers are just the nicest group
of people. Sometimes a registrant would comment about the price
of the ride ($40 per person). We would explain that Loop for
Life is a fundraiser and about some of the organizations that
Harvey donates money to, and they would say “Oh, okay. Here’s
some extra (money).” Just like that! After the bikers return,
there is a bike show with cash prizes, more prize giveaways,
food, and live music. Harvey does a great job. It’s quite the
party!
Message from Harvey, Loop for Life Chairman
Why do
we do what we do? If you rode in today on two, you
probably answered something like, "it's a fun ride and
great cause." If you are like me, you pause and think
how your life has been touched during the year by
people that you know, who have gotten Kawasaki Disease
or diagnosed with Spastic Paraplegia.
You hope, with all the work that has gone into this
event, a lot of people will come out, have a good time
and we can raise a side-car of money to support
research, to cure or prevent these two diseases.
Kawasaki Disease is a childhood disease that primarily
affects children under five years old and Spastic
Paraplegia is a neurodegenerative disorder that
attacks one's ability to walk, often leaving their
victims in wheelchairs. You can read more information
on page 16 of this program.
These things really make you think about what is
important in life, and how lucky we are. My wife is
about 10 days away from giving birth to our first
child, so if she is here today, I will be surprised,
and happy. In 1996 when we started this event (our
first year 175 people attended), she and I had just
started dating, and it might have been her first
motorcycle event. I couldn’t have asked for a better
eight years with her, and now we are going to have a
little girl together. I am the luckiest guy in the
world.
Thank you for supporting this event, spreading the
word with your friends, and all the contributions you
have collected and donated. Your generosity is what
makes this event possible. You provide an opportunity
to give back to the community, to positively impact
those who are less fortunate than us.
Please visit
www.loopforlife.com for
information
Past Loop for Life events
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Note from Karen Johnson, SPF Board Member who attended
the event (on the left in photo above with Harvey Mover,
Loop for Life Chairman)
It was another fabulous
event! Loop for Life was held on Aug 18th in 2007. It
was a memorable ride on a lovely sunny day with an
estimated 3,000 riders. Friends and family members came
together to help with the event and dollar figures
reflect $102,000 brought in this year. SPF is among
several charities that will receive proceeds from this
event.
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For the third year, SPF was
selected to receive donations raised by the annual
Indianapolis Loop for Life motorcycle ride organized by Harvey
Mover. SPF is proud and thankful to receive $24,000. This year,
SPF board member Karen Johnson - 2nd from the left in the photo
at left, attended the event.
Note from
Karen:
Loop for Life was a blast! On August
19th over 2,500 biking brothers and sisters gathered together to
join with Hummers in riding the closed off and especially
reserved, I-465 loop around the city of Indianapolis.
Harvey Mover pulled off another great
event with his friends and family members helping. This was the
11th annual Loop for Life and happily there will be a 12th!
The day started with coffee and
breakfast snacks as folks gathered to register and talk with
friends. There was a police drill team performance and a
blessing of the riders before they headed out for the hour long
joy ride. In rows, twenty some Hummers and over 1,000 bikes
filed out of the fairgrounds. After the ride we enjoyed a bike
show, live music, brats and cold drinks - all in raising money
for the Loop for Life. Lovely day, lots of lovely folks and we
all agree - my brother and sister-in-law, my boyfriend and I all
want to be a part of Loop for Life next year!
The 2005 Loop for Life was held August 20 and attracted some 2,400 riders.
SPF Vice President Linda Gentner attended the event - see photo
below of her with Harvey Mover, Loop For Life organizer. Linda and
her husband Craig participated in the procession by riding in a
Humvee.
 More
than 3,200 motorcyclists participated in the annual
Loop For Life motorcycle ride on August 21 in
Indianapolis, Indiana. The event, organized by
Harvey Moover, below, raised a stunning $29,000 for SPF
Research Awards as
well as benefited local organizations. SPF Vice
President Kathi Geisler, at right, was an special
guest.
A breakfast Registration began at 8:00 a.m. at the
Marion County Fairgrounds. Following the National
Anthem at 11:00 a.m., the crowd enjoyed a Precision
Drill Team performance by the Sheriff's Department . Humvees
carrying special guests including Kathi and members of the Drill team led the 3,200
motorcyclists in the Loop For Life ride around
Indianapolis on Interstate 465.
After all had returned to the Fairgrounds, a festive
afternoon included lunch, entertainment, special
activities and announcements of prizes.
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Harvey Mover, Chairman and Founder of Loop for Life,
addresses the crowd |
More than 3,000 motorcyclists participated
in the annual event |
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