~About Us~
After the loss of "Biker Jim", as with the loss of Tom, their friends and
fellow bikers were drawn together and organized an annual ride in his name,
"The Biker Jim Memorial Ride". It was decided this event would be
hosted by one of the three H.O.G. Chapters, alternating each year
between Bourbeuse Valley, Gateway and Kirkwood. Although the
primary proceeds from the first ride, hosted by the Gateway Chapter, were
donated to The Alliance for the Mentally Ill, a large amount of money was
also donated by friends and family to The Biker Fund.
As the support for The Biker Fund increased, it became evident that
control of the fund should be a joint responsibility of the three chapters
working together. As a result, a Board of Directors which included
members of each chapter was organized along with the addition of the
McBride name to The Biker Fund...thus, The Hartbauer/McBride
Memorial Foundation was born.
In 1998, the decision was to combine both memorial rides into one event
for the sole support of The Foundation and The Biker Fund. Over the
years, The Foundation has provided assistance to many motorcyclists who
for various reasons found themselves between a rock and a hard place.
In an effort to broaden the scope of The Foundation and better serve the
motorcycle community, more changes were necessary. Beginning in 2003,
The Board of Directors was expanded to include representatives from other
Motorcycle Clubs, H.O.G. Chapters, and organizations from the Greater St.
Louis Bi-State area. Along with the expansion of The Board of Directors,
The Foundation also invited various other representatives to take an active
role in promoting and assisting The Foundation and our events with their
support.
On May 28th, 2003 The Foundation became exempt from Federal Income Tax under
Sec. 501 {c} {3} of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are deductible under
Sec. 170 of the Code and The Foundation is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests,
devises or gifts under Sec. 2055, 2106 and/or 2522 of the Code.
fellow bikers were drawn together and organized an annual ride in his name,
"The Biker Jim Memorial Ride". It was decided this event would be
hosted by one of the three H.O.G. Chapters, alternating each year
between Bourbeuse Valley, Gateway and Kirkwood. Although the
primary proceeds from the first ride, hosted by the Gateway Chapter, were
donated to The Alliance for the Mentally Ill, a large amount of money was
also donated by friends and family to The Biker Fund.
As the support for The Biker Fund increased, it became evident that
control of the fund should be a joint responsibility of the three chapters
working together. As a result, a Board of Directors which included
members of each chapter was organized along with the addition of the
McBride name to The Biker Fund...thus, The Hartbauer/McBride
Memorial Foundation was born.
In 1998, the decision was to combine both memorial rides into one event
for the sole support of The Foundation and The Biker Fund. Over the
years, The Foundation has provided assistance to many motorcyclists who
for various reasons found themselves between a rock and a hard place.
In an effort to broaden the scope of The Foundation and better serve the
motorcycle community, more changes were necessary. Beginning in 2003,
The Board of Directors was expanded to include representatives from other
Motorcycle Clubs, H.O.G. Chapters, and organizations from the Greater St.
Louis Bi-State area. Along with the expansion of The Board of Directors,
The Foundation also invited various other representatives to take an active
role in promoting and assisting The Foundation and our events with their
support.
On May 28th, 2003 The Foundation became exempt from Federal Income Tax under
Sec. 501 {c} {3} of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are deductible under
Sec. 170 of the Code and The Foundation is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests,
devises or gifts under Sec. 2055, 2106 and/or 2522 of the Code.
About Us
With another anniversary fast approaching, and bold new plans and events
for the future of The Biker Fund, we thought it would be a good time to
tell the story of how it all began: To explain what The Foundation has done
in the past, what we hope it will continue to do in the future, and for those
who do not know who Hartbauer and McBride were and why The
Foundation is in memory of them.
for the future of The Biker Fund, we thought it would be a good time to
tell the story of how it all began: To explain what The Foundation has done
in the past, what we hope it will continue to do in the future, and for those
who do not know who Hartbauer and McBride were and why The
Foundation is in memory of them.
Tom Hartbauer was the director of the Bourbeuse Valley H.O.G. Chapter
and conceived the idea of establishing a fund to help fellow motorcyclists in
our community with direct assistance in a time of true hardship and need.
Not as a charity, but more simply a helping hand...Bikers Helping Bikers.
However, Tom never saw his idea become a reality, as he lost his life in a
head-on collision with a drunk driver in 1987. It was in his memory and
with his idea that the Bourbeuse Valley H.O.G. Chapter initiated the
beginning of The Biker Fund with an annual event known as "The
Hartbauer Ride".
and conceived the idea of establishing a fund to help fellow motorcyclists in
our community with direct assistance in a time of true hardship and need.
Not as a charity, but more simply a helping hand...Bikers Helping Bikers.
However, Tom never saw his idea become a reality, as he lost his life in a
head-on collision with a drunk driver in 1987. It was in his memory and
with his idea that the Bourbeuse Valley H.O.G. Chapter initiated the
beginning of The Biker Fund with an annual event known as "The
Hartbauer Ride".
As the biker community became more aware of the fund, "The Hartbauer
Ride" drew more participation support from other local H.O.G. Chapters,
Motorcycle Clubs, Organizations and individuals, at which time the fund
began to grow under the control of the Bourbeuse Valley Chapter. The
fund provided assistance to several motorcyclists and in 1993 the guidelines
were broadened somewhat to provide assistance to local flood victims.
Ride" drew more participation support from other local H.O.G. Chapters,
Motorcycle Clubs, Organizations and individuals, at which time the fund
began to grow under the control of the Bourbeuse Valley Chapter. The
fund provided assistance to several motorcyclists and in 1993 the guidelines
were broadened somewhat to provide assistance to local flood victims.
"Biker Jim" McBride was a very unique fellow biker and close friend to
everyone who knew him. To say he had many friends would be an
understatement. "Biker Jim" was a member of three area H.O.G. Chapters
and became an avid supporter of the Hartbauer Ride and The Biker Fund.
"Biker Jim" also lost his life to a tragedy in 1994 at the hands of his
mentally ill son.
everyone who knew him. To say he had many friends would be an
understatement. "Biker Jim" was a member of three area H.O.G. Chapters
and became an avid supporter of the Hartbauer Ride and The Biker Fund.
"Biker Jim" also lost his life to a tragedy in 1994 at the hands of his
mentally ill son.
Jim McBride
