Motorycle riders get ready to leave in the Rescue Cenla's Child Ride from Renegade Harley-Davidson dealership in Alexandria on Saturday. / Leandro Huebner/lhuebner@thetowntalk.com
Lori Paul doesn't know where she would be if strangers wouldn't have made her their daughter.
Paul, a member of Sanctuary of Praise Church in Pineville, was adopted when she was a newborn.
Paul and members of Sanctuary of Praise Church hosted a "Rescue Cenla's Child Motorcycle Ride" Saturday at Renegade Harley Davidson in Alexandria.
The motorcycle ride, part of National Adoption Month. was to bring awareness to the need for children to be adopted.
"This is the first time Sanctuary of Praise has hosted this ride," Paul said. "We have a lot of members in our church that are foster and adoptive parents. It's become a desire for our church to make it aware that children need a loving home. I was adopted as a newborn and brought home from the hospital."
Sanctuary of Praise will host a special service today at 11 a.m. in honor of National Adoption Month.
"Ninth Judicial District Court Juvenile Judge Patricia Koch and Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields will speak at the church," she said.
Wade Bond, Rapides Parish Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) director, and Lillian Smith, Alexandria executive director of the Department of Children and Family Services, also are scheduled to speak.
The motorcycle ride began at Harley Davidson, traveled through Marksville and ended at Sanctuary of Praise. Motorcycle riders paid $20 to participate, and participants were treated to a jambalaya lunch and prizes.
The money raised will be given to CASA, Paul said.
B.J. Gallent, CASA finance director/volunteer recruiter, said proceeds will be used for CASA programs.
"We have about 130 children that have CASA advocates," Gallent said. "We have 70 CASA volunteers. CASA is the voice for the child in the court and ears and eyes for the judge. We visit children and make a recommendation for permanent homes for our children."
David Boyd of Deville is a member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association Servants Team and participated in the ride. Boyd said his motorcycle group tries to give back to the community by participating in community activities.
"We rode and helped raise money for the Grant Council on Aging in Grant Parish," Boyd said. "This is just something positive to do. Every child deserves a loving home."
Lori Paul doesn't know where she would be if strangers wouldn't have made her their daughter.
Paul, a member of Sanctuary of Praise Church in Pineville, was adopted when she was a newborn.
Paul and members of Sanctuary of Praise Church hosted a "Rescue Cenla's Child Motorcycle Ride" Saturday at Renegade Harley Davidson in Alexandria.
The motorcycle ride, part of National Adoption Month. was to bring awareness to the need for children to be adopted.
"This is the first time Sanctuary of Praise has hosted this ride," Paul said. "We have a lot of members in our church that are foster and adoptive parents. It's become a desire for our church to make it aware that children need a loving home. I was adopted as a newborn and brought home from the hospital."
Sanctuary of Praise will host a special service today at 11 a.m. in honor of National Adoption Month.
"Ninth Judicial District Court Juvenile Judge Patricia Koch and Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields will speak at the church," she said.
Wade Bond, Rapides Parish Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) director, and Lillian Smith, Alexandria executive director of the Department of Children and Family Services, also are scheduled to speak.
The motorcycle ride began at Harley Davidson, traveled through Marksville and ended at Sanctuary of Praise. Motorcycle riders paid $20 to participate, and participants were treated to a jambalaya lunch and prizes.
The money raised will be given to CASA, Paul said.
B.J. Gallent, CASA finance director/volunteer recruiter, said proceeds will be used for CASA programs.
"We have about 130 children that have CASA advocates," Gallent said. "We have 70 CASA volunteers. CASA is the voice for the child in the court and ears and eyes for the judge. We visit children and make a recommendation for permanent homes for our children."
David Boyd of Deville is a member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association Servants Team and participated in the ride. Boyd said his motorcycle group tries to give back to the community by participating in community activities.
"We rode and helped raise money for the Grant Council on Aging in Grant Parish," Boyd said. "This is just something positive to do. Every child deserves a loving home."
OFF THE WIRE
Motorycle riders get ready to leave in the Rescue Cenla's Child Ride from Renegade Harley-Davidson dealership in Alexandria on Saturday. / Leandro Huebner/lhuebner@thetowntalk.com
Lori Paul doesn't know where she would be if strangers wouldn't have made her their daughter.
Paul, a member of Sanctuary of Praise Church in Pineville, was adopted when she was a newborn.
Paul and members of Sanctuary of Praise Church hosted a "Rescue Cenla's Child Motorcycle Ride" Saturday at Renegade Harley Davidson in Alexandria.
The motorcycle ride, part of National Adoption Month. was to bring awareness to the need for children to be adopted.
"This is the first time Sanctuary of Praise has hosted this ride," Paul said. "We have a lot of members in our church that are foster and adoptive parents. It's become a desire for our church to make it aware that children need a loving home. I was adopted as a newborn and brought home from the hospital."
Sanctuary of Praise will host a special service today at 11 a.m. in honor of National Adoption Month."Ninth Judicial District Court Juvenile Judge Patricia Koch and Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields will speak at the church," she said.
Wade Bond, Rapides Parish Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) director, and Lillian Smith, Alexandria executive director of the Department of Children and Family Services, also are scheduled to speak.
The motorcycle ride began at Harley Davidson, traveled through Marksville and ended at Sanctuary of Praise. Motorcycle riders paid $20 to participate, and participants were treated to a jambalaya lunch and prizes.
The money raised will be given to CASA, Paul said.
B.J. Gallent, CASA finance director/volunteer recruiter, said proceeds will be used for CASA programs.
"We have about 130 children that have CASA advocates," Gallent said. "We have 70 CASA volunteers. CASA is the voice for the child in the court and ears and eyes for the judge. We visit children and make a recommendation for permanent homes for our children."
David Boyd of Deville is a member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association Servants Team and participated in the ride. Boyd said his motorcycle group tries to give back to the community by participating in community activities.
"We rode and helped raise money for the Grant Council on Aging in Grant Parish," Boyd said. "This is just something positive to do. Every child deserves a loving home."
Scott McGuire of Alexandria, state president of Bikers Against Child Abuse, gets ready to leave for the Rescue Cenla’s Child Ride from Renegade Harley-Davidson dealership in Alexandria. The ride took the bikers to Marksville and then to Pineville, where they met at Sanctuary of Praise Church. / Leandro Huebner/lhuebner@thetowntalk.com
Scott McGuire of Pineville, Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A) state and Central Louisiana chapter president, said participating in the bike ride "was right up (B.A.C.A.'s) alley."
"Our goal is to make sure children are safe," McGuire said. "At least three weekends out of the month, we visit kids we have come in contact with. All my people have to go through an international background check, that takes four to six weeks, before they can ride with us. We ride to raise awareness for child abuse.
"Any ride we can do to help a child live a better life, we are glad to do it."
