OFF THE WIRE
A man helped by the group shows his appreciation in a hug with its founder, Bear Conaway
MELBOURNE --
With the unemployment rate at about 10 percent in Florida, there are hundreds of thousands of people out of work.
The biker community is helping their fellow riders who are down on their luck in Brevard County.
BIN- It stands for Bikers in Need.
Bear Conaway is the founder of the group.
"It’s our way of helping our own,” he described.
Conaway was surprised on stage while receiving the prestigious President’s National Medal Of Patriotism for all the work he’s done for the community Saturday afternoon at Wickham Park in Melbourne.
Dave Stoiber organized the event on Saturday.
However, months ago, he received help after getting laid off from work and being unemployed for a year and a half.
“Bear Conaway came to me and said I know you need assistance so please accept it. The BIN bailed us out because we had no food in the cabinets, no food in the refrigerator and they came to the rescue for my family and myself and I am forever grateful for that,” said Stoiber.
The idea started a few years ago when Conaway starting helping out his fellow riders who needed food for their families.
He had a six foot pantry in his home where he stored items to donate to his fellow bikers who were either out of work or in need
"It just grew and grew and it’s larger than anything I ever imagined,” said Conaway.
Stoiber said they was a need in the community because so many people were out of work and struggling.
Roughly 2,000 people turned out to the event at Wickham Park.
Hundreds of bikers rode from the Jameson Inn on Palm Bay Road to Wickham Park in Melbourne.
They donated money and brought food.
"Bikers are inherently good people and if you look deep enough into anybody you will find something good," said Conaway.
Bikers in Need officially started in August 2011. http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2012/february/378437/Tough-economic-times-cause-bikers-to-join-together-for-support