'Baldy' memorial ride set

FREMONT ? On Saturday, 635-plus members of District 14 ABATE of Iowa will be holding the 27th ?Baldy? Memorial Ride in memory of Wade ?Baldy? Lentner Sr. and 70 other departed members.

Motorcyclists will be arriving before noon on Fremont?s Main Street.

At 1 p.m., the district will hold a short memorial service at the ?Rock? in Fremont Park for the two members lost since last year and the other 68 from past years. This year is the 26th anniversary of the passing of Lentner, who was the Harley Davidson dealer in Ottumwa for 46 years.

The ceremony will include a welcome, the national anthem, a prayer, remembrances of lost members and a roll call of departed members. Then, the district memorial poem, which is inscribed on the ?Rock,? will be read.

In addition, a special recognition ceremony will be held for the district?s seven 20-year members, including Larry and Connie Slonaker of Birmingham.

A ?Feel the Thunder? tribute will be conducted as the motorcycles line up for the 20-mile route to the Keokuk County Fairgrounds in What Cheer.

All ABATE of Iowa events are open to the public. Cost for the anniversary party is $20 if paid in Fremont or $25 at the gate in What Cheer. Fees include camping, food, beverages, motorcycle rodeo, memorial ride pin and a commemorative mug.

District 14 is part of a statewide motorcycle rights organization of more than 7,000 politically active motorcyclists involved in education and safety. District 14 is made up of all or parts of eight southeast Iowa counties: Davis, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington.

For information, call (641) 673-4982 or send an e-mail to teacher@mahaska.org.