Rally Revives Donations

BIKES, BLUES & BBQ CONTRIBUTES TO 33 AREA CHARITIES

By Kate Ward

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

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FAYETTEVILLE — Bikes, Blues & BBQ distributed $48,500 among 33 Northwest Arkansas charities Monday during a ceremony at the Fayetteville Town Center.

“Charities have been hit extremely hard during the last two years with their funds straining to keep up with the needs of so many in our community,” said Kenneth Mourton, chairman of Bikes, Blues & BBQ. “That’s why we are extremely excited about our ability to provide $48,000 in donations to 33 charities, which is the largest number of nonprofits we’ve ever been able to assist before.”

This year’s 10th annual motorcycle rally took place Sept. 23-26. The four-day festival is one of the five largest motorcycle rallies in the country, drawing in an estimated 350,000 visitors each year.

Mourton said funding problems for Bikes, Blues & BBQ started in 2004 when the festival’s music sponsor canceled at the last minute.

“We did the event at the Northwest Arkansas Mall and it cost a lot of money,” he said. “We borrowed money to contribute that year because that’s why we’re here — to raise money and give it back to the community, while having a small cushion to fund the next year’s event.”

Over the next four years, Mourton said, Bikes, Blues & BBQ invested $250,000 to expand the festival to Baum Stadium, located on the University of Arkansas campus.

“In 2008, we decided it was time to get even,” he said. “We said, ‘Let’s not pay anything and bite the bullet.’ We hated it, but I’m proud to say that we’re now debt free. We don’t have as much as we had hoped for this year, but hopefully that won’t be a problem in the future.”

Last year was the first year Bikes, Blues & BBQ didn’t distribute funding to any local charities.

The event raised a record $134,000 in 2006, with proceeds divided among 30 charities.

Funding decisions are made by members of the Bikes, Blues & BBQ Board.

“Once the festival is all over, we review funding requests a couple weeks in advance,” Mourton said. “A lot of thought goes into it. We consider the amount needed and what an organization’s current needs are.”

Bikes, Blues & BBQ Director Nelson Driver said the board rolled unfilled donation requests from 2008 into this year.

Approximately 45 charities requested funding from the 2009 event, most of which received less than the amount requested.

“First, we eliminated charities that weren’t local because that’s the focus for this event,” Driver said. “After that we assigned a basic amount to each charity. Then we do a needs adjustment survey to determine which charities are in the most critical need.”

The least amount of funding awarded to the 33 charities this year was $500, which went to 17 organizations.

The Fayetteville Boys & Girls Club, Life Styles and the Peace at Home Family Shelter received the most funding from this year’s rally, with $3,500 donated to each.

Carol Hart, executive director for Life Styles, Inc. said she was pleased with amount awarded.

“We’re thrilled,” she said. “It’s more than we’ve received in the past two years.”

Hart said the funding will be contributed to a challenge grant that will help pay for a new building. The nonprofi t organization, which currently serves about 130 area residents with developmental disabilities, plans to o

• cially break ground on a new facility after reaching the halfway mark of its $3.7 million fundraising target.

Seven Hills Day Center Director Jon Woodward said he wasn’t disappointed with this year’s $500 contribution.

“I think it’s wonderful,” he said. “Every bit of funding we receive helps us do that much more for someone. I think it’s great that we have an organization that gives us opportunities like this. It’s something most cities don’t have, which makes you proud to live in Northwest Arkansas.”

Located at 1555 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Seven Hills was established in 2000 to help fill the gap for homeless people in Northwest Arkansas. The facility provides men, women and children a place to access resources and move forward toward jobs, housing and selfsu

• ciency.

In addition to thanking volunteers, board members and paid staff, Bikes, Blues & BBQ officials formally announced plans to host Fayetteville’s first rally geared toward women. Bikes, Babes & Bling will take place July 15-17, 2010, on Dickson Street.

“This is a huge stepping stone for us and we’re tickled to death to provide for all of you, the first ladies’ rally,” said Coleson Burns, event director for Bikes, Babes & Bling. “We are providing the South’s first safe and fun ladies’ rally to stimulate the economy during a slow time of year in Fayetteville, while also having a real good party.”

Driver said about 35 percent of all motorcycles purchases in the last five years have been made by women. Proceeds from the event will fund local charities that target women and children.

For more information or to volunteer for either rally, visit: www.bikesbluesandbbq.org.

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