Riders roll out to help ministry
Dozens of Harley-Davidson engines fired up, and the roar of chrome exhaust pipes climbed to a deafening pitch Saturday at the Panhandle Motorcycle Society in West Pensacola.
At 1 p.m., more than 50 club members saddled up and headed out but this wasn't just any Saturday afternoon ride. It was a ride for a cause.
Club members were riding across town to deliver five truckloads of supplies and a $700 donation to Heavenly Blessings Ministries on North T Street.
About 2 a.m. on Jan. 25, a fire ripped through the ministry's warehouse in Warrington.
The fire destroyed thousands of dollars in clothing, furniture and other donated, second-hand goods.
Investigators with the state fire marshal's office suspect arson, but there are no suspects in the case.
"Ninety percent of what was in that building was to help others," ministry Pastor Renee Allan said.
Motorcycle club members have collected donations for the ministry in the past, and after hearing about the fire, they decided to hold an unscheduled charity ride to benefit the ministry.
"Since it burned down, we just got together and said, 'Since we've been sponsoring them, we're going to do something for them,' " said Henry Ezell, club manager.
Each rider paid $10 to participate, and after unloading the supplies at the ministry, club President Karl Murray presented Allan with a $700 check.
"Everybody looks at us like we're a bunch of ruffians, but these are just regular folks who are doing good stuff for the neighborhood," Murray said. "There's not one guy out here who doesn't do things for the community."
Allan thanked the riders for their help and likened the ministry to the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes.
"That's God's promise to this ministry: what we lost, we're going to multiply it back," Allan said. "We're not going to give up. We're not going to shut up. We're not going to sit down until I get to the gates of Heaven."
Riders roll out to help ministry
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