Wind & Fire Motorcycle Club

Chronology

UPDATED 10/13/2009

Who we are:

·        Wind & Fire Motorcycle Club is a united group of firefighters who ride Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. Presently we have over 4,300 members and 170 chapters. We have members living in 49 states and 23 countries.
 

·        Wind & Fire MC has a secondary focus which is charity.

April 1991 - W&F MC was founded

·        Wind & Fire was founded by Jerry Eibert, a 30 year veteran firefighter and a member of I.A.F.F. Local #2046, Jerry lives in Santa Barbara California and as member #1, signed John Denning member #2 and with this Wind & Fire MC was born.

W&F Club Runs:

·        The club annually organizes over 34 charity motorcycle events around the world, which primarily benefit children - burn injured children, kids with cancer, needy kids at Christmas and children in the hospital.
 

·        W&F MC operates a unique run, it's Burn Camp Run, in which members ride to summer camps for burn injured children. Presently 19 of these runs are in existence.

Honorary Membership:

·        The Club has an Honorary Membership program through which each year a Harley rider is recognized for having done something outstanding for the community or the club.

May 24, 1991

·        W&F Patch placed at "The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall" in Washington D.C. (Carried across the USA by motorcycle on Run For The Wall)

December 8, 1991

·        First W&F Chapter in the USA " Santa Barbara Chapter" (Members #1,2,3,4,5,6 &13)

December 1992

·        First member outside of the USA "Richard Shearing from Great Britain"

January 1993

·        First Club Newsletter Editor: John Denning (Printed Volume 1, Issue#1)

August 1993

·        First Associate Member "Mike Conboy" (Honorary Member IAFF Local 493, Phoenix IAFF)

September 6, 1993

·        First Honorary W&F Member was U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

September 30, 1993

·        Second Honorary W&F Member was Dan Klemencic, editor "THE ENTHUSIAST".

January 1994

·        Wind & Fire MC "Colors" Maltese Patch

March 14, 1994

·        First W&F Chapter outside of the USA "W&F Chapter Malmö" (Sweden)

April 1994

·        Third Honorary W&F Member Artie Muller Co-founder of "ROLLING THUNDER" Washington D.C.

June 1994

·        First W&F Burn Camp Run -  Wonder Valley "Champ Camp" near Fresno California: Original idea for Burn Runs came from  Bill Cadam member #6.

Other 1994 inaugural burn runs were held in Denver, Colorado and Bellwood, Illinois.
 

April 1995

·        Fourth Honorary W&F Member Edward Friend - Host "KIDS ADVENTURE ZONE" and named RED CROSS "HERO" for volunteer work.

August 1995

·        First W&F MC National Rally: Hill City, South Dakota (Members attended from California, Colorado, Washington, Illinois, Kansas and British Columbia, Canada)

April 1996

·        Fifth Honorary W&F Member Oliver Shokouh - Founder of the "LOVE RIDE" for MDA

September 1996

·        W&F MC Charter Membership Est. (100 Supporting Members)

April 1997

·        Sixth Honorary W&F Member Jay Leno -- MDA Support and Positive Image of Motorcyclist

April 1998

·        Seventh Honorary W&F Member Dave Barr - H-D World Rider & Advocate for those with disabilities. Click here for picture of Dave.

May 1998

·        First W&F MC Charity Run outside of the USA for the Lund University Hospital Children's Clinic Lund, Sweden; Chapters Lund & Malmö.

August 1998

·        First W&F MC Executive Director - Randy Coleman

April 1999

·        First W&FMC Board of Directors: Randy Coleman - Chairman, John Robbins, Don Tompkins, Don Stewart, William Trinkl, Gregg Murphy and Jerry Eibert

April 1999

·        The Honorary Member for 1999 is KYLE PETTY. Kyle is a third generation Stock Car Racer. He has a natural love for the sport, but he has another love, Harley-Davidson's. His love for Harley-Davidson motorcycles led to the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. The event is a means to raise money for a number of different charities, last years ride raised over $1,000,000.00. Click here for a picture of Kyle.

May 1999

·        W&F MC's first Southeastern Rally: Myrtle Beach, SC

August 1999

·        Easyriders' story "250,000 Miles On A Shoftail" by Evo Red, details W&F MC's focus and includes color photo of club patch.

November 1999

·        Members Came Together to "Make a Statement" showing support for Dave Barr

November 1999

·        W&F MC webpage address changed to www.windandfiremc.org (the efforts of Randy Coleman, Executive Director  and John Robbins,  webmaster)

February 2, 2000

·        "Wind & Fire MC" Incorporated in the State of California #2211297

March 27, 2000

·        The "Bronze ©" sculpture statue of our logo was commissioned by sculptor Jean Cherie

Click here to see the bronze statue

April 2000

·        Honorary Member #9 was New York Myke Shelby. Wind & Fire MC's San Diego Chapter had a luncheon with presentation honoring Myke as the Honorary Member for the year 2000 at Chuey's on April 11th.

April 7, 2000

·        W&F MC's 1000th Member - Scott Heimesath, Chicago FD

April 29, 2000

·        W&F MC's First Southwestern Rally: Laughlin, NV.

July 7 to August 13, 2000

·        W&F MC's "Founder's Tour / Europe 2000" - 8,100 mile tour of Europe. Jerry Eibert meeting with members from Belgium, Germany, Sweden, England, Scotland, Norway, Solvenia and the USA.

September 2000

·        W&F MC's First European Director - Eddy Styven

October 11, 2000

·        W&F MC's 1000th "Full Member", Firefighter/Harley-rider, "Kimberlee Ledesma", Los Angeles County Fire Department.

January 2001

·        W&F MC's first elected International Club President - John (JR) Robbins

April 2001

·        10th Anniversary of W&FMC: 1,247 members, 13 countries, 51 chapters

April 2001

·        Tenth Honorary Member, Dave Nichols - Easyriders' Magazine

April 2001

·        Wind & Fire MC "Oval Pin" designed: Large (1.5" with cutouts) Rally Pin; Small (1.25" with color fill - 1st year light blue) Charity Pin.

April 21, 2001

·        First Burn Survivor Day Antwerp, Belgium: hosted by W&F Diamond Chapter

July 15 to August 7, 2001

·        W&F MC 10th Anniversary Tour: Laughlin NV to Washington, DC to Hill City, SD. (250 people & one dog signed the logbook; 16 members rode all-the-way, riding over 9,000 in 30 days)

August 2001

·        Long sleeve custom black Rugby shirt voted official W&F "Colors shirt"

September 11, 2001

·        A day we will all "remember" 343 FDNY firefighters died in the Twin - Towers

October 2001

·        Don Tompkins appointed W&F  Executive Director

December 2001

·        W&F FDNY Remembrance Patch "9-11 343" in memory of the 343 FDNY members lost on 9-11-2001

April 2002

·        Eleventh Honorary Member: Paul Reimer, community & veterans support, crisis counseling.

April 2002

·        Harley-Davidson's scarlet red Firefighter Edition motorcycles arrive on scene

July 6, 2002

·        Southwestern Regional Rally: site moved to Hollister, California

August 2002

·        Easyriders' story "Firing Through Europe" by Evo Red" three pages of text and 18 photos of the "Founders Tour", Jerry Eibert's 8,000 mile ride through 15 countries visiting Wind & Fire members in Europe and Scandinavia.

August 2002

·        Wind & Fire MC third "Oval pin": Firefighter Memorial Pin (1.25" red, white and blue for 1st year only in recognition of the 343 FDNY)

August 2002

·        Wind & Fire MC special edition pin: oval, gold, red-white-blue, "343 PLEDGE". This is a one-time pin to acknowledge members who committed to ride in the 2002 Firefighter Memorial events hosted by the Club.

August 11, 2002

·        Firefighter Memorial Rally, London, England: members attended from the U.K, Belgium, and France.

September 11, 2002

·        0001 hours on September 11, 2002 - W&FMC rode to Ground Zero, NYC: over 350 motorcycle on site.

September 12 - 18, 2002

·        Firefighter Memorial Ride from New York City to Denver including stops at FDNY, the Arlington Fire Department (the Pentagon), the National Fire Academy, and the Flight 93 crash-site near Somerset, PA

September 12, 2002

·        Member Ray Feasel, W&FMC -  While on the memorial ride, killed in New Jersey.

September 12, 2002

·        Leo McHale has a dream of building a Ray Feasel memorial

September 21, 2002

·        "A Ride to Remember" from the Colorado Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Lakewood to the International Association of Fire Fighters Memorial & Ceremony in Colorado Springs, due to 9-11-01 over 700 motorcycles attended this annual W&FMC event.

September 26, 2002

·        W&FMC membership reaches 2,000

April 19,2003

·        12th Honorary Member:  George Petropoulos for the assistance and support given to our Club during the year 2002 and the Club's 2002 Firefighter Memorial.  For the support give by George on behalf of the "Motor Company"®    Click here for a picture of George

May 10, 2003

·        Leo McHale - Dedicated his Firefighter Memorial in Cecilton Maryland in the memory of W&F member Ray Feasel.

June 7,2003

·        1st Southern W&FMC Rally held in Austin,Texas

August 28, 2003

·        At our annual board meeting held in Janesville, WI four new members were appointed;

Terry Heflin, Lynn Kerstetter, Mike May and Terry Porter

 April 3,2004

·        13th Honorary Member:  Shinji Fujimura from Japan for his invoking the true spirit of freedom In-The-Wind.  Shinji though wheelchair-bound rode his Harley-Trike across the USA.  Click here for picture of Shinji

May 1, 2004

·        W&FMC club ring became available to our members.  Thanks to the hard work of National Board John Bergstrom this ring can be purchased in gold or silver.

August 7, 2004

·        W&FMC's Eastern Rally was moved to Daytona, FL

August 9, 2004

·        W&F MC's first elected International Club Vice-President - John Bergstrom

August 10, 2004

·        W&F MC's first members to attend all four USA corporate rallies in one year. 

        Gary Lovell, Dallas Chapter
        Bruce Reibly, Irving Firefighters Chapter

        Attended the Eastern Rally in New Smyrna, Florida; Southern Rally in
        Austin, Texas; Western Rally in Hollister, California and the National
        Rally in Hill City, South Dakota. 

        While making this ride these two W&F members rode over 12,500 miles
        riding through 21 states and visited many members along the way. 
        Both are ready to do it again.

September 11, 2004

·        Leo McHale has flag flown over the Pentagon in memory of Ray Feasel

April 2005

·        Lisa Powel of Tucson AZ became W&FMC's 14th Honorary Member.  Lisa not only is a Harley Rider she has been the driving force for the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundations burn camp program. 

During Lisa's 14 years with the foundation she served as Champ Camp Coordinator, Prevention Educator, Survivor Assistance Director, and lastly Executive Director for the Foundation.

Lisa has worked with over 200 fire agencies and over 50 schools.  She has had the pleasure of working with over 2,000 volunteers. 

August 9, 2005

·        Gary Lovell, Dallas Chapter member became the first W&F member to ride to all four USA Club corporate rallies two years in a row.

        In the past two years Gary has ridden over 25,000 miles traveling to
        these four events.

        Gary received the W&F Bronze for this very special accomplishment.

February 14, 2006

·        Leo McHale completed and dedicated a US postal stamp in the memory of Ray Feasel and the 343 FDNY firefighters that died on 9-11.

April 2006

·        Rick Fairless of Dallas TX became W&FMC's 15th Honorary Member. 

Rick Fairless, a veteran custom bike designer and builder of 20 years, has been featured in many magazines In The Wind, Hot Bike, V-Twin, Easyriders, and Ride Texas Magazine. He stars on the Speed Channel in the reality biker show "Texas Hardtails" and has been featured in the show "Biker Build-Off" on the Discovery Channel.

Rick has been a great supporter of our Club by leading Burn Runs in Texas, lending his name to our effort and furnishing a great destination for our auction and finale, the renowned Stroker's Ice House.

Rick Fairless' Strokers Dallas (formerly Easyriders of Dallas) was started in 1996 as one of the first custom bike dealerships to land in Big D. In 2004, Strokers was voted the best all-around motorcycle hang-out in Texas by the readers of Ride Texas Magazine.

Fairless was part of the 2005 Easyriders Centerfold Tour, a nationwide custom bike showcase. He recently established Storkers Sturgis on Thunder Road, the ultimate custom bike destination in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Rick has won numerous national awards, including the prestigious Sweepstakes Award 2004, for the best motorcycle on display at the nation's oldest automotive event, The Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California. In 1999, he was inducted into the motorcycle Who's Who club, the Hamsters.

Fairless is also featured in the book "Choppers: Heavy Metal Art" by well known motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter.

June 9 - 30, 2006

        As our Club turns 15 years old, members from around the world are
        meeting in Europe for a 4,000 mile tour.

August 8, 2006

September 7, 2006

October 6, 2006

April 2008

Pepper Massey’s life of accomplishment both in promoting motorcycling and serving charitable organizations within her community are a perfect match for Wind & Fire MC’s values of motorcycling and children’s charities.

Massey is well known in the national motorcycle community and served 11 years as the Executive Coordinator for the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, a national MC rights organization. A longtime Harley-Davidson motorcycle rider, Pepper not only owns and rides an H-D; she was office administrator at a H-D dealership for two years.

Wind & Fire MC has received additional exposure and standing among our peers in the motorcycling world as a result of Pepper’s efforts. In her former position as Director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, Massey initiated and implemented a two-year “Colors” interpretive display at the Museum featuring Wind & Fire MC among venerable Clubs like the Boozefighters, the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, and the oldest US Motorcycle Club— the Yonkers Motorcycle Club.    As organizing manager of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum “Hall of Fame” annual event, Pepper facilitated Wind & Fire MC with three years of VIP seating opposite the recipient tables during the annual ceremony.

Massey’s charitable efforts include the annual “Kids and Chrome” fund-raiser for the Children’s Home Society and the Hall of Fame.  She has been active with the Crisis Intervention Shelter Services from 2003 to present. She is active with Zonta of the Sturgis Area and a two-time past president.

A true friend of firefighters and specifically Wind & Fire MC, I would like to recommend recognition of the Director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Pepper Massey, with Honorary Membership in the Wind & Fire MC.

May 2008

August 2009

·       Oppy from CO and Wild Bill from MO became WFMC’s first liaison officers (Western & Eastern USA)