American Legion Riders Chapter 107 Leeds, Al.

We have been discussing the idea of having a Sunday get together once a month, a Biker Church, although everyone is welcome. Our first one will be Sunday June 28th at 3 p.m. Afterward we will be drawing for our raffle.

Tonight.

For the 4th year, The American Legion Riders Chapter 107 in Leeds mounted up for the annual fund raiser ride down to Camp Smile-A-Mile. After 3 years of rain, we were finally blessed with beautiful weather. 71 bikes and about 100 people made the ride to Camp.
I am sure the children heard us coming long before they saw us. We roared into camp with horns blaring and engines revving. What a sight! 62 of God's little miracles screaming and cheering for us. As loud as our bikes were, we could hear them welcoming us above the noise.
As we held hands and gathered in a circle, the most precious little girl said the prayer.She didn't let having Cancer, as well as having Down’s syndrome deter her. She marched right out in front of everyone and thanked god for the "biker gang".
We were happy to see familiar faces and saddened to see new ones. We handed out our monkeys, paired up with lunch buddies and gave each child a do-rag. Needless to say, they had to put them on immediately. They thought it was cool to look like us.The best part of lunch is when the music starts and they all jump up at once and start singing and dancing for us. This year a few campers sang individually.Camp Sam has a way of making even the shyest child come out of their shell. Fortunately, the nice weather permitted us to stay for their closing ceremonies where we were treated to a dance contest between some campers. we were the judges and, of course, they all won.
I am a very big advocate for Camp Sam. That's why when we started our yearly fund raising I was worried about the bad economy. When asking for donations, I have been told" No. I donate to The American Cancer Society or The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. They really help kids with cancer."
Those are wonderful organizations, but children not only need help medically when they have Cancer. They need help on a more personal level, physically, emotionally and spiritually. This is a hard time in their lives. They need to connect with someone who knows what they are going through. Someone who knows their hopes, their fears, their joy and their pain. Who better than another child with cancer?
I heard a parent explain Camp Sam in this way. She said that she has no doubt that camp Sam is largely responsible for her family having come through their fight against Cancer as well as they did. I know the feeling. Camp Sam was the one place and the one group of people to whom my child wasn't just "Cancer".We got to experience the very best that camp Sam had to offer.
I have learned a lot about people through raising money for this charity. Most of the time, it's the ones who have the least to give who will give you the most.
I would like to say thank you. Thank you to the little boy who gave of $5 of his own money, as he put it. Thank you to the man who gives us $3000 every year. Thank you to the lady who was going to give is $10, but she said while she was in the store that God spoke to her heart. He told her that she should do more for camp. So, she wrote us a check for $220. Thank you all and thank you God for being at Walmart that day.
Its because of big hearted, generous people like these that The American legion rides, Chapter 107 were able to raise our largest total yet. Of the $28,000 that was raised that day, we donated $21, 566.00 of that.
I hope that none of you have to experience camp Sam because your child is sick, but I hope you all get to experience it as a visitor and contributor. Thank you ALR Chapter 107 for sharing my love for Camp Smile-A-mile. Each journey
to Camp Sam is more beautiful, fulfilling and heartwarming than the last. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
www.campsam.org
Jamie Levan Alr Chapter 107 Leeds, Al

I have been less than enthusiastic about going to camp the last few years. In the beginning of chapter 107s journey to Camp Smile-A-Mile, we were greatly rewarded for all of our hard work in raising money. We got to spend hours with the Campers. We got to spend time doing everything from them showing us their cabins, to sitting on our bikes, to watching talent shows where they sang and danced , to participating in their closing ceremonies. Not to mention taking tons of pictures of them just laughing, loving and living. The last few years we got no singing, no pictures, no meet and great where the campers can choose their own lunch buddies, no time to look for your own Camper from previous years. To being herded in and out like cattle. Last year, they were in such a hurry, they had the check presentation before some Riders even got off their bikes and inside.
Its sad to feel that way because I personally have seen the wonders that Camp can do, for them and for us. When you are thrown into the unfamiliar world if childhood cancer, it becomes your "norm". You feel guilty over something that you have no control over. Heartbroken that this is happening to your child. You meet families that you pray for, rejoice with, cry and mourn with. So you look forward to Children's Camp and family camp. At home and at school you are in the minority. At Camp you are the majority. Here, you are normal.
Once a Cancer mom, always a Cancer mom. This is how and why I know the importance of Camp. Each year that our time is cut shorter, they are denying us the ability to see the wonderful use our money is being put to. They are also denying the children of meeting the best group of people they could ever know. People who don't know them from Adams house cat, yet love each of them and work tirelessly to help them enjoy camp.
Our journey to Camp is over for this year and I feel that they redeemed themselves, at least in my eyes. WE got to stay longer. They let them come sit on (and rev up) the bikes. They let them sing for us. If you never liked the Backstreet Boys, you would after hearing them sing .They also let us stay for their closing ceremony. Their singing and us participating in passing the heart beat around the circle may not mean much to anyone else, but it means the WORLD to me.
I didn't get my lunch buddy from previous years, but Tommy did come and find me. It was awesome to see him. He is as tall as I am now. (insert short jokes here). I did get a new lunch buddy, Regina, who is already taller than me, prosthetic leg and all. She was very sweet and polite. She was thrilled that they had a girls night and got their nails done. Chase told her that Tommy Reeder likes getting his nails done too. Then Tommy Says, " My toes too, wanna see? " She said yes and Chase and I hollered "No." She thought the whole exchange was hilarious. Memories like these are the reward for all our hard work.
Our turnout was less than normal this year due to 2 deaths in our Rider family. I know they were with us in spirit , just as we were with them.
This is only my opinion, but I think the way our visits to Camp have been going played a big part in the fund raising efforts this year. The total for the day was $10,738.00. Our part of that contribution was $9058.00. We donated our money in memory of Mike Smith, one of our Charter members who recently passed away. In the 9 years that we have been visiting and raising money for Camp Smile-A-Mile, we have raised appr. $160,000. OUR RIDERS ROCK

Tickets are still available.

Tickets available now.

No album of Camp Sam. I wasn't on fb yet. :)

2008
The American Legion Riders, Chapter 107 Leeds, Al.
Camp Smile-A-Mile is Alabama’s program for children with cancer. Children who have cancer, their families as well as young adult survivors can attend this camp. Even children that are still taking chemotherapy can attend because they are able to receive their treatment at camp. Everyone attends free of charge. That’s why it’s so important to have fund raisers, such as, the annual Camp Sam Motorcycle Ride, which we attend.
This year’s ride was on Saturday, June 14. The day started out dismal and rainy and I knew that it would keep a lot of bikers away, but it didn’t deter our riders. We knew, rain or shine, the campers were expecting us. The ride started at Barbers Motor Sports Park in Leeds, Al. We had a full police es**rt from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department Motorcycle Unit. Although in years past there were hundreds of bikes, this year only about 50-60 bikes participated in the ride.
The campers were waiting as we rode into camp. As the horns began to blow and the exhaust pipes roared to their delight, they started cheering. Eighty-one beautiful, bald, sick, and healthy children were waving banners that read “thank you bikers”. Dry eyes were scarce, as emotions flooded everyone. As we greeted the long line of campers, they gave us “high fives” as we passed out monkeys, which is Camp Sam’s mascot.
We formed a huge circle and our chaplain, Terry, said a prayer. Then bikers and campers paired up to have lunch together. They enjoyed sharing their stories, dreams and were not a bit shy about telling you what their diagnosis is. Such big words’ coming from such small children is heart-wrenching. Although, I have to admit, I didn’t meet one child that wasn’t optimistic and they all seemed to be having the time of their lives. Of course, that’s what camp is all about.
This was a very emotional time because some of the campers were neighbors and friends of our riders. Sassy, one of our riders, was tickled that she saw her “lunch buddy” from last years ride and that he remembered her. One the other hand, Lee and I didn’t see ours and I was afraid to ask why she wasn’t there. Many campers come back year after year, but unfortunately, some don’t survive their illness to come back.
After lunch most of the children headed to the bikes. As you can imagine, they had to try on gloves, helmets, hop on the bikes and rev the engines. (and rev and rev) Finally, we all gathered at the open air stage for the check presentation. The total donations for this day were $30,000.00. I am very proud to say that our riders raised $9612.00 of this total.
Although Chapter 107 contributes to many different charities at the community, state and national level, we have made this our primary charity. I’d like to think that I was instrumental in this decision. You see, Camp Sam holds a special place in my heart. In 2000, my son was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My family and I attended this camp for 6 years. This is a wonderful organization and they took care of us when I had absolutely nothing to give in return. Now it’s my turn to take care of them.
Before my son got sick, I had never heard of Camp Smile- A-Mile. Fortunately, thanks to this article, you have. Don’t wait until it’s your friend, your neighbor or, God forbid, your own child that gets sick. Donate now. You don’t have to take my word for it. Visit their website, www.campsam.org, and see all the fantastic things that they do.

My Camp experience:
As I write this leaned on the back of my driver, we are on our annual pilgrimage to Camp Smile-A-Mile. Neither the lack of normal participation in this years ride or the cloudy weather could dampen my enthusiasm. Rain or shine, 58 beautiful miracles were waiting for us. As we turn on Our Childrens Highway, I can't control my excitement or sorrow. The waterworks have already started.
It's a bittersweet trip because we are missing one of our riders who we recently lost. Dan loved Camp Sam and was looking forward to getting to go this year. (Thank you, Bill Madden, for donating $300 to camp in Dan's name)He is with us today because I am carrying him in my heart.
I was happy to see so many familiar faces and saddened to see all the new ones. I can't count the times I heard a child say this was their first trip to Camp, including my own lunch buddy, Sydney. Although most of them won't hesitate to tell you their diagnosis, this was furtherest from Sydney's mind. She was just happy to be there and that they were having hotdogs for lunch. Of all the chubby steriod faces and bald scarred heads, I didnt see one frown. As a child, you can't imagine how alone they feel battling this monster we call Cancer. Thats why "Until there's a cure, there's camp." Where even a sick kid can just be a kid.
The fact that I was crying at Camp must be unheard of because several children asked what was wrong and was I ok. How do you explain to a child the range of emotions you are feeling? Happiness, grief for the campers we have lost, elation from seeing your last years lunch buddy, delight in their singing and dancing.
Lee had the honor of presenting them with the check. The total raised this year was $23,000, of which our group donated $14,572.00.
Camp is over for me now, at least until next year. I thank God everyday for Camp Sam. For giving these children a chance to feel normal. For giving me the chance to celebrate their lives.
Once again our fund raising efforts were hit hard by the economy. I would like to thank my customers at The Amercan Legion Post 107 for supporting our food sales because every penny made goes to Camp. Also, Food Giant, of Moody, for their continuous support of us. Billy, who religiously starts us off with $3000 each year. Harold and Gilbert for cooking every Friday night. And all of our riders who have come to love Camp as much as I do. It never fails to warm my heart when one of them say," Thank you for introducing me to Camp."
Since we have adopted Camp Sam as one of our charities, we have raised over $90,000 for them. I hope I speak for everyone when I say that as long as there is a "Camp Smile-A-Mile", we will ride for them.