It's All About the Kids - Cynthia Alberta

The "It's All about the Kid's" Day that was hosted by Bullying Enns and UBAKA (Urban Bulldogs Against Kid Abuse) was an incredible event to attend.

Joy, absolute joy is what was expressed on pretty much every kid's face.

The hamlet of Cynthia has a population of 50.
Mitch's Campground and RV Park is where the event was held.

They have a small motel and a pub called the Cyn City Saloon and a few other small businesses and that's about all.

What the community lacks in size, it makes up for in heart.

The volunteers and sponsors of the day worked
their hearts and souls out to give the hundreds of kids who came out a great day.  There was a silent auction both outside and in the pub.

There were lawn games, a bouncy castle, face painting, motorcycle rides, fire fighter gear and job demonstrations, a by donation BBQ...and the DUNK TANK!

I have no idea who had more fun, the adults and the kids throwing the balls or the volunteers making sure the dunk tank victims got dunked - appropriately!

It was an incredible and inspiring day that saw Bullying Enns and UBAKA walk away with over $17K in donations with which to further the programs they already offer and in the case of Bullying Enns, allow them to host a BBQ for all
of the kids they have given rides and support to and to supply them all with special back packs for school.

Steve and his non-profit board are also looking to the future and what kinds of other programs they might be able to offer to end/prevent bullying.

Like every non-profit and every event hosted, without the sponsors, these things wouldn't be possible.

Bullying Enns and UBAKA would like to thank:
Mitch's Cynthia Campground & RV Park, Cyn City Saloon, Secure Energy, and Steel Horses Photography, the Drayton Valley Fire Department, M & M Meats, the MLA Mark Smith, Hydro Vacuum Services and so many, many more sponsors and supporters. It took a ton of volunteers, and so many businesses that donated to the silent auctions, the bouncy castle that was donated, the DJ services that were donated.

But when you look at the results, when you see these children feeling confident, comfortable and strong, when you see those faces and the smiles, you know it was more than worth it.
IT WAS AMAZING and so needed.

This event was filmed for TV so start looking on YouTube on the Ride Like a Local Channel in late November for the three segments that make up the episode to begin airing! If you are on EastLink TV Look under Community TV in November....

To support Bullying Enns or UBAKA find them on Facebook.

I enjoyed this event so much, and I see the need for events like this to introduce kids to the community of motorcycling, to help empower them, the show them there adults out there who care...that I have invited Steve Enns and his non-profit Bullying Enns to help us do this same sort of day here in Grande Prairie and hopefully grow a chapter of Bullying Enns Riders. These are riders who take kids to school on their motorcycles or pick them up after - present them with some information, some support, some swag and then stay connected to them. I think that it's something Grande Prairie and pretty much every community where people live could use! Anyway June 1st 2019 is the date for Bullying Enns - It's All About the Kids - Grande Prairie AB Version!

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest - Supporting our Community!

We are awful excited that in its third year, Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has seen an explosion in nominations.

Thanks to our relationship with Community Futures, this contest is beginning to really gain traction and we are so grateful to them for their support and love of small towns, small business and entrepreneurs!

Riders it seems are catching on!
So are communities and community leaders.

Helping smaller communities that don't usually get a whole lot of fanfare for what they do right in the game of tourism is a really gratifying thing for our whole team.

In all we and our media partners giveaway over $60K in marketing to the winning communities and provide a way for all communities that consider themselves Rider Friendly to get some attention and notice!

Belt Drive Betty Media is made up of contractors who live a motorcycle life.

We are so thrilled to support our sport on so many levels, helping to promote the CMDRA, helping to promote every charity and non profit ride that we can, every small business event, riding club event...for free in most cases - it's part of our mandate, our mission if you will!  We give back into the community we make our living from.

We promote adventure riding, motocross and anything else that our readers submit to us, and that they find interesting and engaging.  Through our events calendars, our newspaper, our contest and the Rider Friendly Business Association Community & Directory ....the community news and information we disseminate really is "Rider Powered News!"

We have some wonderful new media partners that we are now working with as well and this will only help raise Canada's visibility as a motorcycling destination of note!

Our New Media Partners:
Man Wants in the UK, the brand new Colorado Rider News and World of Motorcycling Pod Cast!
AND, our stalwart partners:
Northern Horizon Newspaper and Kick Stands Up on Reality Radio 101 with Lou DeVouono

We are working hard to spread the news and word about our great country and the amazing, unique and inspiring riding we have to offer, not just to international visitors, but to those in Canada too!

Visit our websites and see what we offer:
www.beltdrivebetty.com - International News

www.bustedknucklenews.com - Canadian News

www.canadianmotorcycleevents.com - EVENTS

www.riderfriendly.com  - A directory of businesses who are a part of the Rider Friendly Business Association, that want to serve riders and a community to connect with them.

www.riderfriendlycontest.ca - A contest to celebrate the communities that love riders.

www.motorcycletourism.ca - an Alberta registered non profit on its way to charitable status in Alberta and then looking forward to the two - three year journey to CRA status.
"We promote motorcycle tourism in Canada, the preservation/promotion of our rich military history & great customer service."

Our TV Show:
Ride Like a Local on EastLink TV and YouTube

Hope you'll check out Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest and our current champion - Port Alberni - Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community from the 2016 riding season.

#RiderFriendlyContest

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A VERY SPECIAL Series on The Fort Mac Wildfire & The Riding Community

I know I have not been writing as much as you had all gotten accustomed to, but I have been very busy working on a ton of very special projects. And when I say a ton, I am not exaggerating, not even a little. From launching our new Rider Friendly Business Association Directory to working on the TV Show Ride Like a Local, the Afghanistan Monument Project, Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest for the 2016 riding Season and a host of other items, well, writing has had to take a bit of a back seat.

What I have been working on gave me shivers and the urge to write became larger than the looming deadlines I am working under.

I have been blessed to interview some of the riders who were instrumental in keeping people fed and cared for.  Some of them I worked with, others that worked behind the scenes, that never got the notoriety or hugs.

I am proud to announce that Ride Like a Local will be sharing a very special 3 (Maybe 4) Part Series called "The Fort Mac Wildfire & the Riding Community".

Watching the footage of the first interview with my friend and a human being I admire deeply, Jeremy Hall, I can't tell you how overwhelmed with pride I am.

I am proud to be a part of a community, as divided as it can be sometimes, (YES we have our own breed of prejudice, our own brand of disfunction as a family)...


You see, there were people who are normally not colleagues, not friends, hell some of them down right dislike each other and yet, they all put personal feelings aside and dug in to do what they all knew was right.

The breadth and depth of the humanity that the riding community can exhibit during times of extreme need is breath taking. I had always known we were a tight crew and that regardless of our personal bias, situations, mind sets - we were all more alike than different and Fort Mac proved it to me time and time and time again.

I can't wait for you to see from other people's perspective that they saw and experienced the exact same things I did.

Jeremy and I both got some publicity out of Fort Mac, neither of us went there seeking it.
But I do believe that the interviews we both gave on radio and TV helped the non riding world look at our community just a little bit differently.

The sad thing about radio and TV in the mainstream world is they can offer you a two minute or a 10 minute look into what happened and that's all.  They pick and choose what they want you to hear and see.

They do their best in that short bit of time to tell the story but I am here to tell you that to tell Jeremy's story alone is gonna take up 2 - 30 minute episodes.
The people he acknowledges for their help and support all deserve to be publicly recognized.
His story is compelling and deserves to be really told.

I wrote somewhere around 9 Blog Posts only time in Fort Mac and didn't come close to thanking everyone, or telling all of the stories that could be or should be...

I hope that my editor Mark and myself can present a body of work that will make the riding community stand proud.

From coast to coast we had the support of riders from across this country who represented pretty much every cross section of the on road motorcycle community.

From the Red Knights to the Hells Angels and every cut in between, this community has a lot to teach the rest of society I believe.

When you see these interviews and hear from these people what they went through, what they witnessed and experienced, it is my hope that you see the same thing I see.

Until next time, please enjoy these last weeks of the riding season and remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you.

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

The long road back to good health & the Ride to The Reynolds

Hi all, It's been a long road back to feeling well since Fort Mac, but thanks to a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I seem to be on the road to a full recovery.

I am so far behind on my writing and other work from being so sick, that I think I am first!
I have also only been on my motorcycle about 6 times this year.
I won't even crack 10,000 KMS this season when I normally ride 20-30,000.

It's been a hard season, physically and emotionally but the good news is, this weekend I get to ride and I am so looking forward to it.

I feel strong inside and my soul is so ready to reconnect with DOC!

This weekend I will be heading to Wetaskiwin and the Reynolds-Alberta Museum for the Ride to the Reynolds.

Honda Canada will be on hand with motorcycles from the 50's and 60's, some of them are supposed to be very rare! I am so looking forward to that. I love old motorcycles.

Honda Canada is also going to have their "Come Ride With Us" program there so that people can try out the new Honda's and learn about the new technology behind the brand. It should be a very interesting contrast!

Not only will there be special motorcycle only parking, but every rider and passenger gets in for free.

It's been a lot of years since I have gone to the Reynolds Alberta Museum and I am looking forward to the exhibits, the White Glove Tour and the Collection Storage Facility Behind the Scenes Tour.
I am looking forward to interviewing some of the riders and featuring these grand old dames (the motorcycles, not the riders) on our TV Show "Ride Like a Local".

Saturday August 20th is going to be a busy day, and I am so up for it.

Make sure you bring cash if you want to partake in the specials in the Cruisers Cafe or purchase a trinket in the gift shop because there is no ATM on site!

Wherever you might be riding to this weekend, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

Visit www.riderfriendly.com for all of the details

So what the hell is Belt Drive Betty Media anyway....

I have been asked by the brand new sales people that I am in the process of training "What the hell is Belt Drive Betty Media anyway?

Belt Drive Betty Media started out as The Busted Knuckle Chronicles, a little black and white newspaper meant to serve the North Peace regions of Alberta and BC. It was packed with event information, something that 14 years ago was sorely missing on the internet or anywhere else.

Over the years, through listening to the riding community and what they wanted for tools, information and support, we began creating things like the Never Ride Alone Program, taking over the Canadian Riders Support Network, building a Rider Friendly Phone Book, Apps and a whole lot more!

Yes, since 2003, Belt Drive Betty Media has evolved into a full fledged Media Company offering a wide array of services and properties to get one's message out on or find the information you are seeking.

Our Web Sites:

www.beltdrivebetty.com

www.riderfriendly.ca

www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

www.bustedknucklechronicles.com

www.canadianmotorcycleevents.com

Belt Drive Betty Media on Facebook:

Belt Drive Betty

Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Chronicles

AB Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

BC Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

SK Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

MB Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

ON Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

QC Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

NB Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

NS Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

PEI Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

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NWT Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

YT Edition Busted Knuckle Chronicles

Rider Down

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Canadian Motorcycle Events

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Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest

Ride Like a Local

PMS Support Group

BDB’s Wheels for Our Wounded

Belt Drive Betty’s Beaver Road Trip Rita

Veteran’s Advocacy Work

Bikers United in Remembrance

High Valley Veterans’ Centre

You-Tube:

Belt Drive Betty

Ride Like a Local  - also on EastLink TV

Motorcycle Travel Channel – not yet active

Belt Drive Betty on Trip Advisor

Belt Drive Betty @ Northern Horizon

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We have many blogs that I am now looking for riders to share their stories on.

Travel BC by Motorcycle

Travel Alberta by Motorcycle

Travel Saskatchewan by Motorcycle

Travel Manitoba by Motorcycle

Travel Ontario by Motorcycle

Travel Quebec by Motorcycle

Travel New Brunswick by Motorcycle

Travel Nova Scotia by Motorcycle

Travel Prince Edward Island by Motorcycle

Travel Newfoundland & Labrador by Motorcycle

Travel Northwest Territory by Motorcycle

Travel Yukon Territory by Motorcycle

Oh and let's not forget our App available for Download in the Google Play Store, by QR Code and soon to be in the Apple App Store.

And our phone book's PDF Download

Until today, putting this list together for my sales reps, I never really realized just how much territory we cover! 

Interested in networking with us?

Membership in the Rider Friendly Business Association start at $129.95 per year and offers a host of benefits to the member business. 

Be you a Small Business, a Travel Destination Office or District Marketing Office, National Brand/Chain or an Event Coordinator, we have membership levels and advertising packages to suit your needs!

If you are interested in working with Belt Drive Betty Media: 

In Eastern Canada, contact Chantal Senecal for more information

In Alberta, contact Marnie Thibodeau

In BC and for National Advertising contact Nanette Jacques

If you currently work with us, or have been recommended to us, you can expect, over time to have one of these lovely ladies reach out to you!

Have a fabulous day and if you are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

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All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.