GREENBRIER COUNTY W.Va. (WVDN) – On the morning of Oct. 3, the wheels of the Patriots Motorcycle Club were turning, but this time instead of using their motorcycles, members rolled into Elizabethton, Tennessee, with a convoy of trailers loaded with tens of thousands of dollars in relief aid to those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Before dawn, the team gathered, packed up and headed out with donations that were selflessly given from both residents and businesses in the local area in an effort to help their fellow Americans in need several hours and several hundred miles away.
When asked to describe the feeling of being part of such a massive relief effort, Barry Crance, one of the original founding members of Patriots Motorcycle Club, replied, “It feels great! This is one of those things where the more you work and give, the better you feel when you know it’s being so appreciated. This community is awesome in their sharing and caring,” he adds. “The Patriots Motorcycle Club is a wonderful group of people, like-minded in service to our community and always looking to give a hand up where we can. What we do, we couldn’t achieve without the support of the residents and businesses of this great area,” Crance gratefully said.
In addition to collecting monetary support, the Patriots Motorcycle Club accepted product donations at Lewisburg Walmart for three consecutive days. Thanks to the big hearts found nestled in this small community, club members were able to deliver a convoy of relief aid by way of a 53-foot tractor-trailer loaded with water and additional transporters loaded with donations from nearly every product category imaginable. Among them, are canned food and other non-perishables, cleaning supplies, toiletries, pallets of pet food, etc.
“The Greenbrier Valley is the most caring community in the state,” says Bob Johnson, President of Patriots Motorcycle Club. “We set up Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. through Wednesday evening and collected supplies and money. We were able to haul an 18-wheeler with 28 pallets of water along with four trucks and three trailers loaded down,” he adds. When asked about the reaction from those waiting to receive the donations, Johnson said. “Once we arrived in Elizabethton, Tennessee, they kept asking where we were from. Once we said West Virginia, all they kept saying was ‘Thank you, West Virginia.”
The Patriots Motorcycle Club was founded in 2016 in the aftermath of the historic flood that impacted areas of Greenbrier County. As a result of the 8 to 10 inches of rain that fell in less than a 12-hour period, some communities faced catastrophic damage. As the water receded and the resilient community came together, unbreakable bonds were formed. While offering aid in the local flood relief efforts, the original eight founding members of the Patriots Motorcycle Club decided to combine their desire to make a difference with their love of motorcycles. Today, the group has grown to over 70 members and continues to support the local community through its Christmas fund and a scholarship fund for local high school students.
For more information, visit Patriots Motorcycle Club on Facebook.com/patriotmc2016.
