BARRHEAD - A Barrhead-area charity has a little more money in its coffers thanks to the efforts of the Red Knights Motorcycle Club.
Exactly how much though remains unknown, as the club is still in the process of taking donations. The beneficiary is also still up in the air, as the organization will make their decision at their meeting next week.
However, given that July 29 annual charity poker run from Barrhead to Wildwood and back was one of the more successful in recent memory, with 50 riders participating, the lucky beneficiary stands to receive a hefty chunk of change.
The Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club is a motorcycle club for firefighters past and present. It was founded in 1982 when a group of firefighters got together in a local motorcycle shop in Boylston, Mass. and started talking about the fact that the police had established a motorcycle club, the "Blue Knights", there was still no motorcycle club for firefighters. Shortly after the initial discussion, the Red Knights were born.
The Barrhead chapter was formed five years ago by former Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS) chief John Whittaker, a long-time motorcylist..
Red Knights president Don Smith said the Barrhead's charity poker ride predates the club by nearly two decades.
Initially, the ride was a fundraiser for Barrhead and District Family Community Support Service's Santa's Toybox program. However, last year, the Red Knights decided they would spread the wealth and select a new charity every year.
"It is a great turnout, close to double what we've had in recent years," he said, noting that the run has averaged in the low to mid-20s for about the last decade. "It is hopefully something we can build on and make it a true community event."
In 2022, the ride was rebranded as the "Hollywood Memorial Ride" in honour of Carl "Hollywood" Hulsemann, who passed away in 2020. Hulsemann was a volunteer firefighter for 17 years with Barrhead Regional Fire Services.
"He would have loved this," Smith said. "He spent so many years giving and helping protect this community, and we did not want anyone to forget everything he did."
