News

Christian Motorcyclists love to ride but they don’t just ride to ride. For CMAers, the ride is what they do on the way to the event. CMAers consider themselves a volunteer service organization. While their primary focus is their faith in Jesus Christ and their desire to share their faith with others, their means of accomplishing that is not to evangelize but to serve and thereby make themselves available to any who are seeking or would like to know more about what CMAers believe.

You will see CMAers at almost any other motorcycling event in the state. They are usually working the gate or the parking lot, taking tickets, providing entertainment for children or handing our free ice water. They also volunteer at the Larry Miller Race Track, visit injured motorcyclists in hospitals and are on hand to provide Opening Prayers and Biker Blessings for other club’s events.

CMA began in Hatfield Arkansas in 1974 when small town Pastor Herb Shreve attended a motorcycle rally with his teen aged son. He found a community of people who were uncomfortable or felt unwelcome in a church but many of whom had unmet spiritual needs and questions. He founded the Christian Motorcyclists Association to meet that need.

In the last 33 years, CMA had grown to an active membership of over 50,000 people in the United States alone. CMA also has chapters in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

CMA divides the United States into six regions, with a Regional Evangelist for each region. Each State has a State Coordinator and one or more Area Rep to assist in the over sight and support of the local CMA chapters. CMA chapters have annually elected officers and chapters are supported entirely by member donations.

The first CMA chapter in Utah was the Freeway Riders in Ogden in 1992. Utah is part of the Tri-State region of CMA which encompasses 12 chapters in Utah, southern Idaho and northern Nevada. In Utah there are active and forming chapters in Logan, Brigham City, Ogden, Provo, and Vernal. HOG member Tom Palazzolo (Logan) is the CMA State Coordinator. In Utah, he is assisted by Area Rep Bob Stringham of Provo.

Anyone can ride with CMA. There are no membership fees or monthly dues. To wear CMA colors requires the interested person to be in full agreement with CMA’s doctrinal and faith statement and the completion of a DVD training program.

CMA, as a National organization, has only one annual fundraiser, the Run for the Son, held nation wide the first weekend in May. CMAers seek financial pledges for a 100 mile ride. The funds raised not only support the work of CMA but 60% is donated to three other evangelical organizations.

Although CMA most often works to support other group’s events, there are two significant fund raisers sponsored by local CMA chapters in Utah.

The first is the Helping Hands Ride sponsored by the CMA Ogden Freeway Riders on which was last weekend (September 9th).   This ride is to benefit the Youth Impact Center, an after school haven for inner city kids (located in down town Ogden) whose parents work or are otherwise unavailable for after school supervision and support.  This non-profit organization provides meals, snacks, school supplies, access to computers, tutors, activities and friendship, all in a fun and safe environment.

The other is the long standing Teddy Bear Run in Cache Valley, Saturday September 29.  For more information about this ride, click here.