Recently I was at an event and came across a group of bikers wearing vests that read “Bikers Against Child Abuse.” Immediately I was curious and researched the group, discovering this is a valuable community resource everyone needs to know about. According to the website, the B.A.C.A. mission statement says “We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live.” With that information, I had to dig a bit further and contacted Ogre, Nevada Chapter Vice-President, for a quick Q&A about what Bikers Against Child Abuse is all about.
Here is what we talked about:
Macaroni Kid: I have read the B.A.C.A. mission statement and this line I believe is very important for children - “We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live.” What kind of activities does your organization provide to help empower children?
Ogre: One of the biggest things we do to empower abused children is escort them to court. We go into the courtroom with them and keep a barrier between them and the perpetrator. We give them a friendly face to look at so they can stand up and say what they have to say in the courtroom. We also are there for them 24/7 365. Anytime they feel scared or afraid they can call their primaries and we will be there. We do what we say and say what we do.
Macaroni Kid: When did the Henderson (Las Vegas area) Chapter begin? What types of activities has your chapter done - ie raise community awareness, work with local agencies, etc.
Ogre: The Nevada Chapter of BACA became a full charter in 2009. We have since had two other chapters form here in the state of Nevada. One in Reno and one in Elko. As far as activities in the community, we constantly are attending local awareness events set up by different agencies all over the valley. We try to get the word out that BACA is a resource that families can use.
Macaroni Kid: How does someone reach out for help if needed?
Ogre: If someone feels they can use our help they can reach us either on our helpline 1-877-333-3097 or click here.
Macaroni Kid: How important do you feel having an organization like yours in our community?
Ogre: I feel our organization is very important in this community as well as any community. We provide a service that others cannot or will not. Our mission very narrow and focused. We empower abused children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We do that by being there when we say we will. We show up. It’s as simple as that. If they need us we are there.
Macaroni Kid: What makes your organization different from others that help abused children?
Ogre: Probably the biggest thing that makes us different from other organizations that help abused children is, we are bikers. Bikers hold loyalty, honesty, integrity and respect in extremely high regard. Our word is our bond and we don’t break it for anyone. Children understand that and that is something they need when dealing with what they’ve been through. They need someone to be there when they say they will. Answer that call at 2am when they wake up from a bad dream and can’t go back to sleep. Someone to protect them and give them that’s security back that allows them to be a child again.
Macaroni Kid: What are the requirements to become a member of your organization? I am sure it is, but need to ask, if someone wanted to help, is riding a motorcycle a requirement?
Ogre: To become a member of BACA you must be 18 years or older, pass a federal background check, have access to a motorcycle, and be a supporter for a minimum of one year ( most of the time it’s closer to two ). During that time of being a supporter they go through different levels of training to understand how to interact with the children we come in contact with.
Macaroni Kid: What is your favorite part of what you do?
Ogre: My favorite part of what we do is just seeing these kids come out of their shells and start to be a kid again. Seeing smiles again where there once were sad faces. No child deserves to live in fear. Every child deserves the opportunity to be a kid and be safe from the evils of the world.
Macaroni Kid: Any future plans to help build awareness in the community?
Ogre: We are constantly trying to raise awareness in the community. We need to let everyone know that we exist and are a resource they can use. People still have never heard of us. So we need to make sure everyone knows who we are and what we do.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, contact Bikers Against Child Abuse at 1-877-333-3097 or click here.
