Port Alberni, time in Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community - Part Two

My time in Port Alberni was rewarding.  After partaking in a toy ride that saw well over 1,500 bikes come out (the official count was under 1,300), we pulled into the parking lot at the Glenwood Centre, everyone dropping of their toy and then off to buy tee shirts, get an adult beverage and a seat to watch the rodeo.

The games were run with a precision I have not seen in years! Everyone in the stands were hooting and cheering the competitors on.

Man does this toy run get crowd participation happening! There was no shortage on competition, these folks love their rodeo!

During the Toy Run I was blown away by the number of signs thanking the riders for supporting their community. During the event that followed I was blown away by how much the community at large participates in what the committee hosts.  The number of families and children that were present just made you smile - this is what a toy run should be.  Here is one of the the Facebook Live videos I did that day:


The guy that was cooking up the pig, a 200 pounder, had his son and a friend helping debone the meat and get it ready for the midnight luncheon at the toy run dance.

He was handing out cracking like it was crack and people were gobbling it up - me included!
He was also playing in the band Big Daddy for the dance!

After the rodeo, I went back to the hotel for a bit to change footwear and ended up having wonderful conversations with a number of my Island friends.

 At 9:00PM I headed back over to the Glenwood Centre and the dance. They had two bands playing and both were really freaking good!

I was shocked to see how many people were already there and dancing - the dance had only been on for a half hour or so!

By the time I got done interviews the hall and the beer gardens were packed. Everyone was dancing, having fun.  The Shuttle bus was busy making sure no one risked drinking and driving.

There was one other rather interesting observation that I made.... all weekend long did I see a police car or an officer other than for one walk through for the liquor permit.

This event is attended by people who have great respect, there was not one harsh word, no one disagreeing or fighting, and I guess that means the police feel good about the precautions the Toy Run Committee takes and what transpires with the attendees!


Port Alberni British Columbia on Vancouver Island is a must do for any rider, but if you love Toy Runs, the Port Alberni Toy Run is also a MUST do!  You need to see for yourself why Port Alberni IS Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community!

To see the interviews and video from the Toy Run, tune into Ride Like a Local on EastLink TV or YouTube in December!

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




Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

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Some time in Port Alberni, "Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community"

The Rider Friendly Business Association in conjunction with Community Futures of Alberta & BC hosted this years Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest.

Port Alberni won this, our second contest and it was my pleasure to head out there for their Toy Run this past weekend...their 33rd Toy Run!

I arrived on Thursday and stayed with some friends, Trish and Quentin, and on Friday morning, I connected with David Wiwchar, the Chairman of the Toy Run Committee.

I set up my cameras and set about the task of interviewing members of the Toy Run Committee.
It's my favourite job, getting to know the hard working folks behind the scenes of an event.
I know how many hands it takes to do a job and do it well.  These folks, they do it very, very well.

There is a pride here, a quiet, yet fiercely determined pride.

The kind of pride that moves mountains.

Each person I interviewed spoke with such pride of their fellow committee members and the fact that they leave their egos and attitudes at the doorway of every meeting. These people come together to not just for this monster job of hosting a toy run, but they come together to engage their community and man do they do it right!

I can not wait for the TV episodes to air - there will be two of them I am pretty sure and in their own words these beautiful people will tell you all about the work they do!

Anyway, I spent the day interviewing and hanging around the Glenwood Centre where the bulk of the activities would be taking place. I watched with amazement as task after task was accomplished with military precision. We broke bread around 6:30 pm, corn on the cob, hamburgers and potato salad.

I went to my hotel, the Best Western Plus, Barclay Hotel. The committee however was there at the Glenwood, until well past 9 PM putting the finishing touches on the Centre.

The hotel staff got me checked in and explained the features and amenities of the hotel, I took my luggage rack upstairs, unloaded my bags in a really nice room with two double beds and by the time I took the cart back downstairs, the Langley HOG Chapter had rolled in and their parking stalls were all filled!

Gotta love a hotel that will treat their two wheeled guests with such extra courtesy.

I got up nice and early on Saturday, I wanted to catch as much of the feeling of the day as possible.

I was greeted at the Glenwood Centre by Robin and Tom, they were so upbeat and happy, Tom's daughter was busy setting up the kid's area while his wife was getting the free popcorn and candy floss ready for the kids.

You see what THIS community sided group called the Port Alberni Toy Run Committee has done, is to EDUCATE about and INVOLVE their entire community in the event.

The Toy Run supports SOOOOO many causes ALL YEAR ROUND!
AND it's free to ride in the toy run, but so many choose not to register because they don't understand that registration is JUST to count bikes.

The coffee and donuts are free - well, by donation if yah have...this is NOT a cash grab event folks. You buy dance tickets if you want to.
You buy Pork Buns with salads and corn on the cob if you want. (midnight lunch)

NOTHING is expected of you other than you to bring your heart, some toys and or a donation to the cause, buy a tee shirt...they are grateful to take what you donate and turn it into a year's
worth of support for the kids of their community.

The teens breakfast program is one they are particularly proud to be partnered in as it has helped the graduation rate to flourish.  They support parks and recreation by helping to host free swims, hot dogs and other free items for first night,  Easter festivities and Halloween too!

They support the Salvation Army and their Christmas Hamper drive and oh so many more non profits that help kids that benefit from what 30 dedicated Toy Run Members do all year round.

Every year, organizations that have benefitted from the fundraising done by the Toy Run Committee come out and volunteer for the toy run in return!

It is a totally a unified project that brings together many non profits, all supporting kids, all working together for the kids and you should see the way this city gets out and thanks the riding community for their support. They come out in the hundreds withs signs saying "Thank You Riders"

I can't say enough about this community, this crew of people...they are utterly awe inspiring to watch in action.

Later I arrived back at the Glenwood Centre where I handed off the trophy for "Canada's
MOST Rider Friendly Community" after saying a few words on behalf of Bob Ross and his beloved town of Two Hills, the first community to win our contest.

But that's not where this story ends....more tomorrow!

Until then, if you are blessed enough to be riding, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Edito & Rider

Canada's Most Rider Friendly Community Contest Finalists Announced!

Grande Prairie AB – The second round of voting in Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has concluded. Although the western conference was the only one to be decided upon in this round, it was one heck of a contest between Drumheller & Port Alberni. Nisku sadly, didn’t seem to get in on the action.

Drumheller and Port Alberni went at it hard. The contest became very heated with both sides declaring that there was no way the other side could have that many votes coming in! However, they did and the audit shows that Port Alberni came out the victor.

From the voting patterns we concluded that Port Alberni’s population tended to vote far later in the day and it almost seemed that gave Drumheller a false sense of security. In the end, these two communities showed the pride and sense of community spirit we were hoping to see. Port Alberni, won out this year, but both communities are truly winners!

I want to thank all of the communities that were nominated, and those that have been knocked out of the competition thus far. It is truly rewarding to see the communities that riders love to ride to; it has lengthened the bucket list for a lot of us!

Drumheller, you gave it a good fight, hopefully we will see you in the competition again!

Next, Cape Breton and Port Alberni go head to head. Voting for the final round to determine the winner from the 2016 riding season in Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest begins April 13^th, may the best community win.

We want to acknowledge the commitment of all of our wonderful sponsors without whom this contest could not happen: EastLink TV, The HOG Radio Show, Reality Radio 101, Biker Radio, Suzettee Speaks Silently, Northern Horizon Newspaper and our presenting sponsor, Community Futures of Alberta!

About Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest:

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest was created by Renee ”Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau, founder and CEO of Belt Drive Betty Media.

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest is a rural tourism marketing initiative whose goal is to create awareness of the wonderful businesses and communities that are there for riders to explore. Large cities are not as inviting for motorcyclists; with the advent of texting and driving along, the dangers of driving in traffic, road construction and other hazards along with motorcycle only noise bylaws, many riders prefer to get out on the open road and away from the majority of the dangers that cities present. Motorcyclists also face certain barriers when it comes to customer service in the travel and tourism industry.

About Belt Drive Betty Media:

Belt Drive Betty Media is a diverse motorcycle media company founded in 2003. It offers the rider a vast array of ways to connect with the information on the motorcycle community they need.

That diversity offers advertisers looking to connect with the Canadian riding community a large number of advertising vehicles to choose from.

Belt Drive Betty Media offers TV, web, social media, app and email marketing opportunities.

Contact:

Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

(780) 402-8892

bdbetty@beltdrivebettymedia.com

Visit: beltdrivebetty.com

Bustedknucklechronicles.com

Canadianmotorcycleevents.com

Riderfriendly.com

About Community Futures of Alberta:

For 30 years, Community Futures has been supporting small business development and rural economic diversification in Alberta. We are a community driven, non-profit organization with 27 offices in rural areas throughout Alberta. Each office is staffed by local business professionals and guided by a volunteer Board of Directors.

In other words, we live where you live, and reap the benefits of a strong local economy created by business entrepreneurs just you! Read about some of the many successful businesses we have helped start-up and grow over the years.

We provide a wide range of small business loans, business coaching/training services and business management tools for people wanting to start, expand, franchise or sell a business.

We also run a number of specialized business programs, and actively work with community and business leaders to foster rural economic growth.

We are funded by the Government of Canada through Western Economic Diversification Canada

There are a total of 269 Community Futures offices across the country.

Contact:

Holly Sorgen

Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region

(780) 814-5340

Holly.Sorgen@albertacf.com

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest gets prepared to go into it’s second round of voting!

March 9th, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest gets prepared to go into it’s second round of voting!  Holly Sorgen, Executive Director of Community Futures of Grande Prairie & Region has gone over the voting and has declared who our finalists are for this round.

This time only three communities from the west will compete as the eastern competition has already been decided.

Drumheller Alberta, Port Alberni BC and Nisku Alberta will duke it out to see who will face Cape Breton in the final round of voting. In the final round only one western community will still be standing and going head to head with Cape Breton which one will it be?

We are looking forward to the spirited community banter and getting a little closer to crowning a new Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community from the 2016-riding season!

We want to thank Bracebridge, Fort Qu’Appelle SK, Kaslo & North Cowichan BC for entering the competition. The contest organizer, Renee Charbonneau, will be in touch in the next few days to get your one year of marketing set up and active for you!  That’s right, the four communities who are knocked our have each won a small $1,500 marketing package with Belt Drive Betty Media one of our presenting sponsors!

For more information on the contest visit www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

We want to thank our Sponsors, Community Futures of Alberta, The Rider Friendly Business Association, Belt Drive Betty Media, The HOG Radio Show, Northern Horizon Newspaper and EastLink TV!

For more information about Canada’s Most Rider Friendly Contest, contact:

Renee Charbonneau
Home Office: (780) 402-8892
Cellular: (780) 933-0182
Email: bdbetty@gmail.com