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What they're saying about past rides...Hunterdon County Democrat Thursday July 21, 2005 Bikers Ride To Aid Anderson House By Sandra Rauschenberger When Angela Kosar of Hampton takes part in the fourth annual Independence Ride this Saturday, she’ll be honoring the memory of those who died on 9/11 and her friend Diane Nolan. A few of the construction workers who helped clean up ground zero organized the rally to raise money for the affected families, but the event also helps those who worked on the site recover from the tragedy. “When you see Ground Zero and see what’s there, you never forget,” Ms. Kosar said. “People want to forget and move on. But we need to remember and help each other heal.” But this year’s event will have a more personal meaning to the organizers. With a shaky voice, Ms. Kosar explained how her friend, Diane Nolan of Bloomsbury, was killed on July 3. Ms. Nolan and her husband Greg, a member of the United Crane Workers Union, helped co-found the event and were very involved in organizing the annual rides. The two were traveling, along with Ms. Kosar and her husband to a bike event in northern New Jersey. They planned to hand out flyers for the upcoming ride at the event. But on the way there, a driver stopped short in front of Ms. Nolan. The motorcycle collided with the car and she didn’t survive the impact. “I was there. It happened right in front of me.” Ms. Kosar said. “We all loved her. She did so much for others.” At the time of her death, Ms, Nolan was a counselor at Anderson House, a nonprofit organization that provides residential treatment for women ages 18 years and older who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. To honor her friend Ms. Kosar decided to have this year’s benefit Anderson House, based in Whitehouse Station. “The money we raised represents that we reached our goal of honoring Diane and helping women at Anderson House,” she said. The entry fee for the Independence Ride is $50. Children under 12 are free. Participants will meet in New York City at Church Street between Liberty and Vesey, near Ground Zero. The riders will travel up the West Side Highway and make their way towards Kruckers Picnic Grove in Pomona, N.Y. where there will be an all day barbecue, games and entertainment. The event will end at 6:15 when the park closes. For information call 379-8376 or visit groundzeroindride.com. Anderson House can be reached at 534-5818. TheJournalNews
From Ground Zero to Pomona, biking for a cause By CATHERINE WILDE SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original publication: July 24, 2005) Krucker's Grove was filled with the roar of hundreds of motorcycles and the enthusiasm of their riders yesterday as the fourth annual New York City Ground Zero Independence Ride concluded at the park. "It was beautiful,” Shannon Bohal of Scotch Plains, N.J., said of her Harley-Davidson ride from the World Trade Center site to Rockland. "The food, the place, the escort were all great. You can definitely count me here for next year." The event was the brainchild of Gregg Nolan, who was a supervisor with the International Union of Operating Engineers and worked at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. He and Willie Love of the Dockbuilders Union originally thought the ride would be a reunion for everyone involved in the Ground Zero cleanup. "We became a brotherhood," Nolan said of everyone who aided in the cleanup. "This is a healing experience." Love described the gathering as therapeutic and added that he and Nolan would have organized the ride with or without the money from sponsors. It was only after they realized what a following the event accrued that they thought of using proceeds to benefit charities. The proceeds from this year's event will go toward the Worldwide Children's Foundation, which provides life-altering or life-saving surgery for children in need around the world. Benefiting for the first time this year is the Anderson House, a halfway house for women recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Nolan's wife, Diane, was a residential aide and counselor in training at the Anderson House before she died in a motorcycle accident shortly before last year's ride. Because of her passion for her work, her husband chose the halfway house as one of the beneficiaries this year. "She was so dedicated, caring and compassionate," said Jan Holmstrup, development director for Anderson House, who worked with Diane Nolan. "I always got so much from her." Diane Nolan had also supported her husband at Ground Zero and with the rides in the following years. "It took about an hour and 10 minutes," Gregg Nolan said of the ride up from downtown Manhattan. "It was fantastic; the weather was great." He mentioned that last year's ride did not have as big a turnout due to inclement weather. Nolan said that each year the event grows in size and that more than 300 people participated yesterday. The riders are predominantly from New York and nearby states, but there also were riders from Phoenix, Los Angeles and Seattle yesterday. The entry fee of $50 included live entertainment from the Danny Lawson Band, and free food and beverages. A raffle and T-shirt sales helped raise money. Hundreds Of Bikers Burn Rubber To Commemorate Victims Of 9/11 JULY 24TH, 2004
(NY1)
Bikers Hit Road For 9-11 Fund
With a thunderous roar, more than 1,000 motorcyclists left Battery Park City yesterday for a charity ride from Ground Zero to Woodstock. The bikers, many of whom had worked for months cleaning up the World Trade Center site, gathered at Battery Park City near South Ferry at 8:30 a.m. The NYC Ground Zero Independence Ride was born out of the necessity to assist family members and children affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, according to event organizer Greg Nolan, a foreman of Local 15, Operating Engineers, who spent months with the hundreds of rescue workers at Ground Zero. The bikers made the ride to Max Yasgur's farm in a long, colorful procession, and quickly settled in for two days of camping, music and camaraderie. "Bikers from around the country as well as the metropolitan area are taking part to honor our nation's flag on Independence Day weekend and help a worthwhile cause," said Nolan. At Yasgur's farm, participants camped out in the same place as the original Woodstock attendees. "In fact, we have several original Woodstockers on the ride," Nolan said. The Rev. Brian Jordan of St. Francis of Assisi Church in midtown blessed the riders, but was unable to join them for this year's event. "But next year I hope to say Mass at the site on Sunday morning," he said. "It's an utterly delightful multicultural group, with a wonderful spirit," he added. |
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