LYCOMING COUNTY, Pa. — The sound of thousands of bikers revving up their engines will soon be heard throughout Lycoming County. The 23rd annual 9/11 Memorial Ride honors those who died in the terror attacks on September 11th, 2001.
We will probably have thousands of motorcycles, and the crowds on the street, just amazingly, were estimated here—that was years ago, and I think the crowds have grown since—20,000 along the parade route,” said Tom “Tank" Baird, 9/11 Memorial Coalition President.
The first ride took place just four days after the attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The 42-mile ride takes motorcyclists through 14 Lycoming County municipalities.
That was born just out of frustration, not knowing what to do or having to do something, and it was a protest ride, that first ride, and then by the first anniversary, it morphed into the memorial that it is today,” said Baird.
Members of the 9/11 Memorial Coalition say the ride wouldn't be possible without an annual t-shirt sale and donations from area businesses and organizations. This year, organizers say they ran into a major issue after the company they hired to make the t-shirts allegedly took their money and never printed the shirts.
“We had to hurry up and emergency order—of an order and that did come in, they hustled for us at that company but it shocked everybody, we put out our first appeal to the public for funds and they're still coming in,” said Baird.
Tom 'Tank' Baird is the president of the 9/11 Memorial Coalition. He says the organization typically makes about 5-thousand dollars each year from the t-shirt sale.
“And when we do get excess—what we feel is excess money beyond what it'll take us to operate for the next year, we just make donations to the community."
State police are investigating, but organizers say the setback won't stop them from honoring those who lost their lives on 9/11.
The 23rd annual 9/11 Memorial Ride is set for Wednesday at the Clinton Township Fire Company near Montgomery.
Gates open at 10 a.m., and kickstands go up at 6 p.m.