BULLETIN BOARD

Fall Photo Contest

Submit your Pics to RtR – maybe see them in the magazine, maybe win some cool prizes! Reasons To Ride (RtR) is inviting everyone to submit photos for consideration as part of our 2022 Fall Photo Contest. This is a fun, informal contest for amateur photographers and anyone with a camera phone that is interested in possibly seeing their pictures in the magazines or shared with our readers. If you have a great shot of you and your bike by a landmark, maybe a cool shot of your riding group having a great time, or maybe just a cool shot while you were out riding around – go ahead and submit it. Photos can be from any ride or event from 2022 – they do NOT have to be “Fall / Autumn” themed. To submit a photo, please email the photo (JPEG) to Info@ReasonsToRide.com – with PHOTO CONTEST in the subject line. You can submit up to 3 photos. Please include the names and email addresses of anyone included in the photo. Please include where the photo was taken. We will select photos to feature in the magazine and all entries will be submitted for random prize selection – using the RtR Event Prize Wheel! $100, $50, and $20 Gift Certificates are all available – as well as other partner prizes. All submissions must be original work, taken by the entrants. No third party may own or control any materials the photo contains, and the photo must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person.

• The photo must be in its original state and cannot be altered in any way, including but not limited to removing, adding, reversing, or distorting subjects within the frame. Do not submit photos with “filters” or vignette shading. • Violators will be removed from the contest, stripped of any prize(s), and banned from entering future contests. • Entries will not be accepted unless submitted via the official contest channel.

Entries not submitted through the proper channel may not be accepted and can simply be deleted. • Entries will be judged by Reasons To Ride and all decisions are final. RtR reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is deemed inappropriate or does not conform to stated contest rules. • By entering the contest, entrants agree that photos submitted can be used by Reasons To Ride within the magazine, online, and for advertising purposes. Reasons

To Ride • Submissions will be accepted ongoing for consideration, but may miss the contest and prize deadlines if submitted after November 15th . • All prizes must be collected by the person winning and is nontransferable. • The feature and grand prize winners will be contacted via the email address provided during entry. If no response is received after business days, a new winner will be selected and the previous winner will forfeit all rights to the prize. • The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. Not all submissions will be printed or awarded prizes.

2022 RTR Fall Color Ride w/ Brendan Farren, RTR

There’s a Reason for it…

Have you ever been putting something together that has a bunch of small parts to it and when you get all finished, there always seems to be this one screw or bolt laying there that’s just hanging out. Doesn’t seem to fit anywhere. It’s just there. What do we typically do with it? Well, Mr. G puts it in his mega can of leftover screws and bolts. I look at it and wonder what did I miss? It’s there for a reason. I must find out. That is somewhat of a contrast to our own lives, isn’t it? Sometimes we can tend to feel like the leftover part of the machine. Unused, forgotten, maybe not talented enough or worthy enough to be useful for anything. At least that is what we have come to believe about ourselves. Maybe we have been told that by someone close to us as we grew up. You know, “Are you going to amount to anything, kid?” or “Hey stupid, didn’t I teach you better than that?” or “Better cross the street now because ugly is about to take over the block!” All of these things said in a meaningless spout off of the tongue, cut deep into a person, especially when they are young and as you get older, it sticks, and you become what you were told you were. Stupid, lazy, worthless, and even ugly…at least to yourself when you look in the mirror. So, you begin to feel like the screw that doesn’t fit anywhere. Well, I have some news for you…I found out something about the screws and bolts that don’t seem to fit. There is a reason for them and us! We are called the anchor screw. We are the final piece of the machine that holds everything together so that when things start running, they stay together when running! So, we have a purpose… Want to know who else is an anchor screw? Of course, you do! His name is Wonderful, Counselor, Friend, yes…Jesus. He gave us purpose. He made it possible to be everything he created us to be and more because He wanted and still wants us to know that it doesn’t matter what anyone says about us, He believes in us because He, as the Father and Creator, made us in His image and likeness and therefore we are not just an old worthless screw, we are His children….His handiwork. And no matter how young or old we are, He loves us all just the same! So, the bottom line today is this: There’s a reason for you and me. We have a purpose and a place to fill. Sometimes it takes a moment to find the exact place we fit, but if we listen to the right voice, and allow His leading, we will find that place sooner rather than later and we won’t end up in a mega jar in a dark place with a bunch of other screws that didn’t find their place. Jesus’n’ME are keeping it together for you… Catch you in the Wind…. Mary G.

P.S. A Special Salute and THANK YOU to all Veterans and their families. Our memories never fade for all the freedoms made, without your sacrifice, we couldn’t share His.

COME RIDE WITH US! CMA is a servant minded interdenominational motorcycle ministry with a nondenominational message of hope and love through Jesus Christ. Enjoy the family atmosphere, make life-long friends, and join an army of people dedicated to changing the world, one heart at a time in the highways and byways.

Visit us at www.cmausa.org for more information.

Have a message you’d like to share?

If you have a message that you’d like to share with riders across Ohio and the Midwest, let us know. Reasons To Ride welcomes the opportunity to work with established motorcycle ministries.

Feel free to share upcoming events with us as well, by emailing information to Events@ReasonsToRide.com

So the Veteran’s Day edition is upon us. With free rein from my Editor-in-Chief I thought long and hard about the article I wanted to present. Since I, myself didn’t serve but several people that have influenced my life had, how should I write? Should I do a tribute piece to all of the Veterans? Just a few that I know? Whichever way I decided I was sure I had to present it with the utmost respect since I hold Veteran’s sacrifice in such high regard. It was clear to target all of the servicemen and women I was going to need more than a two page spread in a biker themed periodical. So then it hit me! I would love to write and express my gratitude towards my good friend and Veteran, Guy Cherry. He embodies everything this magazine represents - is an avid Harley guy, owning five bikes (four plus his wife’s) a jeep and is a proud Army vet! I met Guy at Battle Creek Harley the day I bought my Street Glide and we have been friends ever since. Guy (Corporal Guy Cherry) Served proudly in the Army from 1993 until 1996 and was deployed an astounding 13 times during this period. One in which he stuffed a Traumatic Brain Injury and is listed as a disabled vet. Since his days in the service Guy has been active in Veteran organizations such as American Legion and was a past Post Commander in 2019. Currently, Guy donates a lot of resources and his time to Patriot’s Garage in southwest Michigan. Guy’s collection of bikes is pretty awesome. The breakdown goes like this: ’95 Sportster 1200 customized with US Army paint scheme at Patriot’s Garage, ’16 Road Glide that has been to 49 of the 50 states. Guy loaned it to Gordon Cruden for the American Motorbike Challenge. (Very cool deal worth looking up), he has TWO 2021 Electra Glide Revivals!! According to Harley Davidson at the time of this printing he is the only one that owns two. Well, let me back pedal a second,ONE of those is his wife Christie’s. Last but certainly not least 2022 Tri-Glide Ultra (G.I. Enthusiast Collection) for the US markets only. I am very proud to call Guy my friend. There is no question he would give anyone in need the shirt off his back without hesitation if the person was in need. Probably why he is the President of God’s Squad CMC in Michigan. When I asked Guy how he handled so much in his life with the deployments, his TBI the MC life and raising his incredible kids and he said, “God and Christie have always been the rocks I could count on. I couldn’t have done it without either of them in my corner.” We all know a Veteran - if you’re not one you definitely know one. This Veteran’s Day make sure you take an extra minute or two of your day and thank them for their service they have sacrificed more for us than most will ever know. From me and everyone here at Reasons to Ride, THANK YOU for your service we owe each and every one of you our respect and gratitude. Until next time

Happy Veterans Day

Resources for Veterans

There are a wealth of resources and organizations dedicated to serving veterans and their families in recognition of their service and sacrifices made. We wanted to include a few items here worth mentioning specifically, but will have far more online at www.ReasonsToRide.com , just click on the veterans tab.

Veterans Crisis Line

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has established a national Veterans Crisis Line to ensure that Veterans in emotional crisis have free, 24/7 access to trained counselors. To operate the hotline, the VA partnered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Veterans, family members and friends can call the lifeline number, 800-273-TALK (8255) and press “1” to be routed to the hotline and speak to a counselor about any issue that is creating a crisis situation in his or her life. Contact: 800-273-8255 or text 4HOPE to 741 741 (Ohio’s Crisis Text Line) website: www.veteranscrisisline.net

Local and Regional Veterans Service Offices

Almost every county has a Veterans Service Office which is staffed with professionals that are certified and dedicated to helping Veterans, their spouses and children, as well as surviving family members of deceased Veterans. They can assist Veterans in applying for benefits earned by active military service. These include: Federal – Disability Compensation, Pension, Healthcare, Education, Home Loans, Burial and Survivor Benefits State – Veterans Bonus, Education, Employment, Healthcare, Home Loans, Ohio Veterans Homes, and Military Injury Relief Fund. Local – Claim Preparation and Assistance, Financial Assistance, Transportation to VA Medical Appointments, and Indigent Burials. Many County Veterans Service and County Recorders also make Veterans ID Cards. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency can be reached at 1-800-MICH-VET (1-800-642-4838) or visit the website at www. michigan.gov/mvaa. The Federal Veterans Affairs Benefits and Services number is 1-800-827-1000. Ohio Veterans can find their local Service Office by calling 877-OHIOVET (877-644-6838) or by visiting www.OhioVets.gov

There are numerous motorcycle-oriented Veterans groups across the Midwest. We believe that comradery and time with folks that you can connect to as a Veteran is invaluable. We’ve included a few here in an effort to encourage those looking for Brothers and Sisters to ride with – to take the step and find a group. For each, we’ve included a few posts, but there are many more locations within the area for each of them. Googling online or searching on Facebook will usually show local chapters and their contact information. Reasons To Ride will be regularly featuring Veterans groups within the magazine and online – as well as Veteran Oriented motorcycle events and service programs. We offer greatly subsidized rates for all charitable organizations, and have numerous special programs for veterans organizations and events. It’s our goal to help support as many legitimate charitable organizations, events, and the veterans they serve as we can. With the support of our partner organizations ReasonsToRide.com is often able to offer online pre-registration for veterans rides and charitable events at NO COST to the host organization or the charities they are supporting! For information on how your organization or event can be included in upcoming editions or featured online email us at Info@ ReasonsToRide.com

American Legion Riders

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans’ organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans. Hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time. For more information, visit www.Legion.org American Legion Riders chapters are well known for their charitable work, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local children's hospitals, schools, veterans’ homes, severely wounded service members and scholarships. Since 2006, riders nationwide have participated in the Legion Legacy Run, to annually raise money for the Legacy Scholarship Fund, established to provide scholarships to children of U.S. military personnel killed since Sept. 11, 2001. There are many chapters across the Midwest and nation. You can visit the group pages on Facebook, American Legion Riders of Ohio or Michigan – or visit your local American Legion more information. You can also visit online at – www.Legion.org/Riders