Patrick Rusmisel is once again helping organize Bikers for Babies, an annual event that raises donations for the Pregnancy Care Center of MHC. The Aug. 23 ride marks the 14th year of the event that lines up bikers for a donation-based road trip that ends with a barbecue dinner.
All vehicles are welcome to participate in the event that will be held in the Broad Street Parking Lot in Martinsville. Registration begins at 10 a.m., and the 55-mile ride — from Martinsville to Sontag to Ridgeway — gets underway at noon.
“We’re sitting on nearly $1,000 worth of tattoo gift certificates right now,” Rusmisel said. “That’s unique.” Three tattoo shops have donated to the cause: Luna Moth in Collinsville, Ancient Art in Roanoke, and Winston Avenue Social Club, also in Roanoke.
“I found out about Winston Avenue because the owner’s dad is one of the truck drivers I use for work,” he said. “We were just talking, and he goes, ‘Yeah, my son coached Patrick Paul,’ and I said, ‘Okay, that makes sense now.’ Ancient Art, I pass it every day on my way home. It’s got a big glass front, clear as day. So, one day I just stopped and asked.”
Other changes this year include the addition of a silent auction and raffles. “We’ve always done live auctions and door prizes, but we wanted to try something new.”
Registration this time is free, with donations encouraged instead. “The new director has done events without a registration fee before, and she said people tend to give more when they don’t feel obligated,” he said. “Instead of handing you a twenty and asking for fifteen back, they just say, ‘Keep it.’”
The Pregnancy Care Center, now under director Paula Wood, also received a brand-new sonogram machine this year. “It’s one of those newer ones, not sure if it’s 4D or what, but it’s state of the art,” Rusmisel said. “Still free for the young ladies who come in.”
One young woman recently came in abortion-minded with twins, but after seeing them on the screen, she changed her mind and chose to keep them. “That one alone makes the whole thing worth it,” he said.
“So far this year, we have performed 74 ultrasounds and 67 pregnancy tests. We have more than 70 clients who have taken our Earn While You Learn courses online to earn points to spend in our boutique. Enrollment in that program has increased by 54 percent from last year at this time,” Wood said.
This will be the event’s final year at the parking lot in Martinsville. “We’re moving out of the city next year,” Rusmisel said. “They decided to start charging us for a parking lot we’ve used for free for years. First, we had to pay to apply. Then we had to pay again just to use it.
“They told us people rent picnic shelters for birthday parties, so they figured they’d start charging for the lot, too,” he said. “Charities included.”
For those participating in the event this year, there will still be door prizes, a barbecue lunch, and a full day of programming. The event’s sponsor page is available at www.mhcbikersforbabies.com, and the team is hopeful more supporters will show up this year.
“We’ve gotten good response,” Rusmisel said. “But you don’t know anything until people start showing up.”
