Bikers show up to show support

Delta Digital News Service

June 3, 2023

By Avery Jones | Editor

JONESBORO, Ark. – On Saturday, June 3, Hope Found NEA, a nonprofit organization located in Jonesboro fighting human trafficking, hosted the 3rd annual Ride Against Trafficking. Participants arrived at 9 a.m. to register at Central Baptist Church and rode out at around 10 a.m.

The event is a fundraiser in which cyclists complete a dice run and enjoy a free meal afterwards. For the run, each individual or group roll dice at each stop and adding up the results at the end to see who has the highest total. The group with the highest wins $100, while the lowest wins $50.

According to the organizer of the event and the founder of Hope Found, Megan Brown, the money will go toward programs to raise awareness in the community about human trafficking and services for victims. She thought a motorcycle ride would also be a good way to raise awareness.

“There wasn’t a lot of bike rides that I knew of in this area, but especially those that were focusing on this issue,” she said. “With bikers being on the road constantly, it was a good way to be able to get them educated on what signs and red flags of a trafficking situation may look like.”

Brown stated that she chose the church as a meeting place because it has a pavilion for shade, and it’s a central location that’s easy to get onto and off the route from. They have chosen a different place each year for the event so far.

There was a large crowd at the event. Along with several bikers, there were many volunteers and workers at the registration stand, selling t-shirts, and providing drinks. Brown stated that she expected a bigger crowd than last year’s event. 

Nearly 30 bikers participated last year; she expected about 50 to come this year. Twenty-two bikers pre-registered, with several more registering the day of the event. There were individuals, large groups, and even adults with kids.

A retired Pocahontas husband and wife duo that go by the road names Twisted and Hugs respectively were present representing their NEA chapter of Warriors Empowering Children, a nonprofit organization of bikers who support and protect children that have been through abuse. 

If the child is old enough, the group teaches them to ride, while also boosting their confidence. Members of the organization guard the children to make them feel safer, and escort them to school if need be. If the child has to go to court to testify against their abuser, the bikers will escort them to court. Each child receives a vest that proclaims, “I Am A Warrior” on the back.

“We’re all about bringing kids out of the darkness,” Twisted said.

Adam Farmer, an instructor with the Jonesboro Grappling Association, was there with Rachel Thieme. Thieme is a photographer and also works at St. Bernards.

“Megan reached out to us a while back last year to see if we would be interested in sponsoring [the event], and we discussed women’s self-defense, women’s safety, and we believe in the cause, so we decided to sponsor it,” Farmer said.

Both Farmer and Thieme are Jonesboro natives. Farmer has been riding for seventeen years.

There were a few people for whom it was their first time at the event. Jeff McDonald is a software engineer. He’s been riding for ten to fifteen years. 

He was there to “raise awareness,” and stated he’s also “learning more about [Hope Found] from the event.”

According to Brown, the ride was slated to last between 2 to 2 and half hours. Their first stop was Lorado Grocery and Grill. Afterwards, the bikers kept going north on Highway 141 into Lafe.

Their second stop was Jordan’s Quick Stop in Oak Grove before going to Paragould. Their third stop was another Jordan’s in Lake City before heading back to the church to finish the run.

Riders were provided with a free lunch, courtesy of Smokes Up BBQ. 

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