We Are Looking to Relocate

Beech Grove, IN (March 30, 2020) — After being in our current location since the Spring of 2016, the time has come to move on and we are on the hunt for a new location for our headquarters. Recently, a few businesses have expanded and our current location now lacks proper and ample ADA compliant disabled parking for veterans who come to our office.

Bikers Helping Veterans - Bikersinc - Veterans Radio Indiana

We are searching for a commercial zoned building with ample parking for disabled veterans to comfortably park and maneuver. Ideally the building would be able to house our offices, programs and equipment as well as provide space for training workshops and gatherings. A C-4 zoning is right at the minimum and if a C-6 or higher is available, that would be even better.

At least 2,500 sq. ft. would be sufficient, a small kitchen area and inside garage area with a roll up door would also be a huge plus. Must have high speed broadband available, a true fiber network close by would a bonus.

Depending on location, our budget is between $900 and $1100 per month, and we are willing to sign a long term lease. Suitable locations would be Southside Indianapolis, Speedway, East side and the East 10th Street corridor. Outside of Indianapolis areas include: Franklin, Evansville, Greenwood, Fort Wayne, Cumberland, Muncie, Southport, Terre Haute, Greenfield, Anderson, Shelbyville and Plainfield.

Our commercial insurance, permits and required licenses are all up to date. If you have property that meets these requirements, feel free to contact us at: info@bikersinc.org

About:
Bikersinc is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with chapter members in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Tennessee. For more information about Bikersinc, visit our main site at Bikersinc.org to learn more about our programs.

Seeking: Independent Insurance Agency

Indianapolis, IN (June 6, 2019) — Bikersinc, a grassroots non-profit organization has opened up their membership options for their 2020 year, starting in the 1st quarter. They are currently seeking an independent insurance agent or agency who can offer several different types of insurance and discounts for their members.

They are looking for a preferred insurance provider to offer the following services:

1. Group life insurance

2. Accidental Death and dismemberment with minimum amount of $3500

3. Motorcycle and Auto Insurance discounts for all types of motorcycles, including coverage on custom vehicles is a must for their members.

Referring agent or agency must be licensed for the State of Indiana. Licenses for surrounding states would be a bonus. Must be an established insurance provider with good credentials, open minded and motorcycle friendly. Military Veteran preferred.

About: Bikersinc is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with charter members in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Tennessee. To inquire:  info@bikersinc.org

Veterans gravestones restored at cemetery

Greenwood, IN (May 13, 2019) — A Greenfield, Indiana man that runs an organization that restores veterans gave markers in Indiana was in Greenwood Saturday. He was assisting a veterans group with cleaning century-old grave markers belonging to Civil War Veterans.

Raymond R. Brown, a disabled veteran of the Vietnam war dedicates his time to restoring Veteran markers in cemeteries throughout Indiana. He is the director for Mission Restore Bronze Indiana and restores Veteran Markers at no charge whatsoever to the family.

Raymond R. Brown of Mission: Restore Bronze Indiana (Photo: Jim Floyd)

On this particular day, he brought his trailer and equipment to Greenwood to assist the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Every year, on the second Saturday in May, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Benjamin Harrison Camp No. 356 clean gravestones at historic cemeteries around central Indiana. Most members of the organization, whose main focus is educational programming, have ancestors who served in the war.

The SUVCW is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of heroes who fought and worked to save the Union. Organized in 1881 and chartered by Congress in 1954, it is the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic.

Raymond R. Brown of Mission: Restore Bronze Indiana travels all over Indiana (Photo: Jim Floyd)

This year, Mike Beck, a member of the Benjamin Harrison chapter and former state commander, recommended a graveyard minutes from his home — the old Greenwood Cemetery off Main Street, just west of U.S. 31. He visited the cemetery to check on the condition of two Civil War cannons, and realized many of the gravestones nearby could use some work.

Together, six men in their 40's, 50's and 60's spent much of the day on their hands and knees scrubbing and treating 25 to 40 Civil War gravestones throughout the cemetery. They also had plans to reset one or two that had sunk into the ground or fallen over.

Raymond R. Brown of Mission: Restore Bronze Indiana maneuvers around around gravestones (Photo: Jim Floyd)

Most of the men who help clean and restore the gravestones have gone through a Department of Natural Resources course on cemetery and stone restoration, he said. They learn how to clean and reset stones without causing any harm to the historic markers.

“We try to be as gentle as we possibly can,” said Tim Beckman, Department of Indiana commander for the SUVCW. Using nylon materials — gloves, brushes and scrapers — they removed algae and dirt from the old stones, then rinsed them with D-2, a special solution that’s used in national cemeteries.

LEARN MORE: Mission Restore Bronze Indiana on Facebook
WEBSITE: MRBI.Rocks

LEARN MORE: Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War on Facebook
WEBSITE: BenHarrisonCamp.org

Biker Blend Coffee for Bikersinc

Beech Grove, IN (April 6, 2019) — It was something that was long overdue for our organization, an appreciation on a grand scale by a veteran owned company. In a little hamlet on the Eastside of Indianapolis called Irvington, The Wood Whomp Coffee Company made it all happen. In April of 2019, the Biker Blend roast went on sale with 100% of the coffee proceeds being pumped into the Bikersinc veterans programs.

The owner of Wood Whomp Coffee was looking for a local non-profit that was ran by a veteran like himself that would love to see a little money come in for doing good work. He remembered reading about a Non-profit in Beech Grove that worked with veterans and also were into preserving the Indiana motorcycle history, phones calls were made and emails were sent that finally resulted in a meeting and more meetings.

They worked out a deal with Shades of Chrome to assist with the internet technical stuff, domains and they created a eCommerce site using Shopify for online sales. An agreement was made that in lieu of monetary exchange, proceeds would benefit fellow veterans and the Biker Blend was born.

Working out of a preserved warehouse, Wood Whomp Coffee is a small batch roasting company that employs fellow veterans. Their current roaster is a Phoenix double drum and is capable of roasting up to eight pounds with 4 roast per hour. As the operation grows, more roasters will be added.

Out of all this came the Biker Blend, a medium roast with an above average caffeine content. The coffee is packaged in a full 1 pound bag, not just 12 ounces like some. They sell for $20.00 a bag and shipping is free in the Continental United States.

In addition to the Biker Blend, they have regular roast called Easy Days that is their signature blend and a high caffeine blend that packs almost double the amount of caffeine that is rightly called Wide Eyed.

You can visit the Wood Whomp Coffee Company website at WoodWhompCoffee.com or on Facebook below.

Wood Whomp Coffee

Newby Oval

Beech Grove, IN (January 15, 2019) — In the Gilded Age, Indianapolis was at the heart of manufacturing and a large player in the burgeoning bicycle industry. The famous founding fathers of the Indianapolis Speedway all had their hands in said industry prior to the shift in their interests to align with automobiles.

Yet out of all of them, it was actually Arthur C. Newby, the quieter of the quartet who actually put forth the foundation to make Indianapolis the racing capital of the world.

The Newby Oval in Indianapolis, Indiana

Arthur C. Newby halied from around Monrovia, Indiana and spent much of his youth in California prior to moving back to Indiana. Initially he worked as a clerk and made his way up in Dickson Trade Palace and soon thereafter began to form the ZigZag Club, a wheelman’s (bicycle) club.

In 1890 Arthur Newby and a few contemporaries started the Indianapolis Chain and Stamping Co. (Which would later on become Diamond Chain Company.) During this time his involvement with the bicycle industry and formation of the ZigZag Club allowed him to become friends with the other founders of the Indianapolis Speedway.

Map of where the the Newby Oval used to be located

The group’s enthusiasm over bicycling veered into racing and Newby saw the Newby Oval as a means to attract the League of Wheelmen to Indianapolis and turn the city into a bicycle mecca. In 1898 the Oval was constructed and could seat 20,000 spectators and declared a marvel in bicycle racing. In August that same year the 19th Annual League of Wheelmen meet was held at the Oval.

Read More: Newby Oval
Source: Indiana Motorcycle Historical Society

Get Involved with Bikersinc

Bikersinc wants you to get involved with something awesome and make a difference in the lives of our Veterans, our Youth and we are looking for great minds to help achieve our goals. As a driven Non-Profit, we are committed to the community with our programs.

Our current volunteers have logged many long hours, made countless phone calls and have elevated us to where we are now, to those volunteers we thank you one and all! That was then and this is now. We have upped the goal and want to involve you, the Bikers, the Moms & Dads, the Veterans, and anyone in between.

We want the Movers and the Shakers, the ones that can see what we see and want to be involved with our programs. Are you ready to put your skills to work and make a difference in our community?
To learn about what we do, be sure and visit our About Bikersinc section and where we impact folks in the Midwest. For more information about our volunteer opportunities, visit Bikersinc.org/Volunteer for our current list.

Curious

A couple young girls are peering in a window with one sitting on the sill of an old garage, curious to what the young boy is uncovering. Various tool are around including a racing pendent, exhaust and an old licence plate. The boy dressed in a denim jeans, vest and wearing a bandanna shows off a Harley-Davidson Panhead motorcycle. 

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorship is a great way for businesses, organizations and individuals to give back to the community with in kind donations and get a tax deduction at the same time. Being a sponsor is vital to the ongoing success of our organization and our programs. The financial contributions will be used to cover our operating expenses so that public donations from individuals can continue to go directly to our programs and projects.

One of our sponsors that specializes in media marketing has generously offered to assist with the media exposure aspects of being a sponsor at no charge. With their large organic reach, they possess the "Know How" to assist in media marketing to help our sponsors.

Sponsorship Opportunities 

A sponsorship with Bikersinc is a unique opportunity for businesses or organizations who wish to give back to the community and meet their philanthropic goals.

If you are interested in becoming a Corporate or Individual sponsor and want to support an amazing organization, then call us at 317.801.1904 or drop us an email at info@bikersinc.org and we will be in contact.

Our Dedication To Transparency
We are very proud to have reached the Gold Participant milestone in 2018 on GuideStar due to our transparency. Our profile: Guidestar.org/Profile/46-4228612

Be sure and visit Bikersinc.org/Sponsors for our current list of businesses that sponsor us.

Bikersinc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that operates exclusively for educational & charitable purposes. EIN: 46-4228612

Staff Positions

Indianapolis, IN (August 25, 2018) Bikersinc News —As part of our regional expansion, several positions are now being implemented with some appointed by the Board of Directors. President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are all elected officers, along with two additional elected members, who are not officers.

For a full list of the current Staff positions and requirements, please visit the link Bikersinc.org/Staff for a full explanation. Note, all positions are unpaid.

Student Space Program

West Lafayette, Indiana (August 10, 2018) — Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics has made Launchboxes available to schools for students to conduct space experiments. The small aluminum boxes have already proven successful in a zero-gravity experiment.

Professor Steven Collicott recently finished a two-year project with Cumberland Elementary School second-graders in West Lafayette, in which they used the Launchboxes to send fireflies into space via a Blue Origin rocket. Collicott says the 8x4 boxes were found to be inexpensive enough to be given away to schools, and also that they can be launched into space at a height of 60 miles in the air by the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket, much higher than aircraft or balloons.

“That flight opportunity is now available to schools all over the world at roughly half the cost of high school football uniforms,” Collicott said. “Any school district in the country that plays football can now afford space flight." A few aluminum Launchboxes already have been shipped out this summer and more interest is expected as students return to K-12 schools across the nation, said Steven Collicott, professor of aeronautics and astronautics.


The boxes are strong enough to support 15 pounds and allow schools to work within the 1-pound payload limit. Collicott says some of the boxes have already been sent to schools. The Blue Origin New Shepard rocket reaches space at a height of 60 miles in the air, much higher that any balloon or aircraft.

Indiana Youth Works, a program of Bikersinc has announced that they will donate $100.00 to one classroom that is accepted. The money can be used for supplies or contents. For more information, including a PDF packet visit: Bikersinc.org/Articles/StudentSpaceProgram

Small Boys Become Big Men

• Small Boys Become Big Men Through The Influence Of Big Men Who Care About Little Boys •

Needed: Prepaid cell phone cards

Beech Grove, Indiana ( July 10, 2018) — Our veterans program called Bikers Helping Veterans could use some prepaid AT&T phone cards. We use a cell phone that is always on and never turned off, always with a volunteer and paid for by donations. Someday we hope to have a toll free landline.

This photo has been shared everywhere, even overseas

Prepaid phone cards are readily available at and Wal-Mart, CVS, Target, Dollar General and other retail outlets. They can be loaded for as little as $10.00 and those go a long way in helping our veterans. 

What I Learned From My Dog

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Board accepts new challenge

Beech Grove, IN (June 23, 2018) — This week the Board of Directors of Bikersinc, unanimously approved to accept the recommendation of our Chairman, J.D. Duggar, for Bikersinc to become a fiscal sponsor of Mission Restore Bronze Indiana.

 This will be the 4th sponsorship in 5 years and the 2nd under the program, Bikers Helping Veterans. J.D. met with the Director of Mission Restore Bronze Indiana, Raymond Brown on Friday June 22, 2018 to formally reach an agreement.

 About Bikers Helping Veterans: Bikers Helping Veterans works with other Veterans programs and organizations in order to provide a tighter network of complementary services.

 About Mission Restore Bronze Indiana: Mission Restore Bronze Indiana has operated for over a year as a nonprofit initiative whose purpose is to restore grave markers of interred soldiers in Indiana.

Letter from the Board of Directors