Biker Rally Raises Money For Charity

I'm not a biker and I did not attend the rally.

We have a problem.

The website.....Crystal Springs Parks and Recreation...Rally Rules and Regulations

No Guns
No Attitudes
No Nudity
Under 16/only with parent

"What is the rule about beer?
There is a liquor store in town and most stores in the area sell beer except on Sunday. Additionally, in Crystal Springs there is an open container law. We do allow coolers at the Rally, however we ask that you use discretion."

The above is a quote from the Crystal Springs Parks and Recreation website.

We have a problem. The bikers come to town. We close the park to kids without parents. We look the other way and allow the bikers to consume alcohol. We even tell them where to purchase alcohol.

Meanwhile....there isn't a single restaurant in Crystal Springs that can serve a glass of wine with a steak.

If we're going to close the park for motorcycle events.....why did we build the elaborate childrens playground?

Dionne, you need to get a life.....Should we not have any events at the park..ie. Christmas lights, singing in the park...etc...etc...or is it just the motorcycle rally that you oppose...? The park is for everyone in the city...not just you.

Dionne....like you have never had a drink!!! You should be the last one to raise hell about a beer.......

Of course I enjoy a beer. Everyone knows that!!! It is the duplicity that disturbs me. Everyone should be treated equally. If I were to go over to the park and open a beer.....I would be arrested. If Parks and Recreation hosts a biker rally....they can drink all the beer they want without the ordinance being enforced. Worst yet, our mayor didn't even know the website existed. When I approached him with the print out he was dumbfounded. He didn't have a clue. I call BS.

Mr. Dionne, I am a biker, and I do not have a problem..I truly believe you do.

I am a citizen of Crystal Springs and have been for 28 years. I am 67 years old and retired, and I do not drink.

If you would have taken the time to attend our rally you would have seen a large group of wonderful people attending a family oriented gathering to support the charity and have a good time. You would have seen the Christian Motorcycle Association witnessing to people and telling people about Christ. You would have seen hundreds of people donating to the National Autism Association to help children. You would have seen the Mississippi National Guard being honored by leading our parade. You would have seen the blessing of the bikes. On Sunday morning you would have heard gospel singing and a wonderful sermon. You would have seen a beautiful wedding of two of our citizens. You would have seen children playing and having a good time.

Were some people drinking beer? Probably, but you would not have seen them because the beer was in paper cups. Were their fights? NO Were people drunk and disorderly? NO Were there any problems what so ever? NO

What have you done lately to honor our Military, what have you done lately to help the thousands of families that are suffering from Autism? What have you done lately to witness for Christ? What have you done lately to raise money for the Crystal Springs Parks and Recreation Department, so they can add more things in the park for our children to enjoy?

I have a suggestion, come to our rally next year and see for youself what a wonderful event it is.

Best Regards, a citizen

Hello Ron, What is the problem? The Bike Rally raised money for a very worthwhile charity as well as the Parks and Recreation Department for our City. More and more children are born with Autism, and like other diseases, research will eventually provide a cure.
The Rally had a unique blend of bikers: Military, Christian, Novelist, Professional, etc...All came together for a 2 day event which honored our military and provided music and fun for everyone. Yes, alcohol was allowed, but controlled. I am not a drinker nor a biker, but see no problem with the way in which this group of people handled this event. Many new friends were made and the fellowship was remarkable considering the rather eclectic group that came together. This was truly a worthwhile event and I personally hope it continues. This event gives hope to our town. It gives our businesses's increasing revenue and allows visitors to see our town, of which I am very proud to live in. Please don't condemn something you have little knowledge of. This is not like many of the events that you have probably attended with drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence. The event went very well. The music was great and the activities were enjoyable. It was not all about "Bikers". This event proved that people from all cultures, races and backgrounds can come together and enjoy the same things. The fact that our Mayor knew nothing of this web site should not surprise you. He seems to know very little about anything and seems interested in nothing that helps our town. He seems to be a clueless puppet. The next Bike Rally will be in October 2008. A different charity will be chosen for which the proceeds will be donated. Please attend and judge for yourself before condemning this worthwhile event. Our town needs these events and needs the support of all citizens.

Hey Dionne,
Go to www.chautauquabikerally.com and tell me what you see! I'll tell you what you'll see, a lot of people at Chautauqua Bike Rally helping to raise money for C.S. Parks and Rec., National Autism Association, Patriot Guards, Wahabi Shriners, and C.S. Band Boosters. You'll see a lot of decent folks enjoying the day, talking with one another, riding in a parade honoring our military, and supporting a committee that worked a whole entire year to make this a success. Next year, come and support the rally. Obviously you did not attend this past year.

And, no, I'm not from Hollywood, FL, but right here in Crystal Springs.

There are 362 more days in a year get over it and put your head back in your wine glass and eat your steak.

Thank you Deuce.....you have verified what I already knew. "Alcohol was allowed". No one else can do this.....but Parks and Recreation can pull it off. Way to go Sally!! She should be our next mayor.

Damn man, why don't you give it a rest....don't you have better things to do than make yourself look like a complete fool? To be correct, alcohol was not allowed. If it was there, it was in a plastic cup. If a open container of any kind of alcohol was seen by security, the owner was told to get rid of it. By the same token, if you (God forbid) was to walk through the park with a red plastic cup, no one is going to stop you and ask you what is in it....that goes for anywhere in Crystal Springs. Now you tell me how anyone is going to control that. Or even better yet, why would you want to control it.

By the way, we all upheld the "no open container" law. No one, including the police on site were going to go around and sniff everyones cup.

You are right though...Sally would make a good Mayor!!!

No JDB.....I am not going to give it a rest. Calling me names repeatedly is not going to stop me.

Y'all need to get your stories straight.

We know that alcohol is not allowed in the park. We also know that there was alcohol used in the park during the rally. Or maybe somebody just snuck in during the middle of the night and threw all those beer cans in the dumpster.

You cannot deny that the law was broken. We all know that it happened.

Just because money was donated to numerous charities does not justify the breaking of a local ordinance.

Is it possible that any group can gather at the park......charge admission.....donate some money....pour our beer in a plastic cup and carry on? A red plastic cup by your definition.

If the ordinance is not going to be enforced equally it should be dropped from the books.

Why is that so difficult to understand?

Can we use the red plastic cup idea when the park re-opens with the Christmas lighting?

OK Dione, you win....we should never have anymore fund raisers anywhere in the city in fear that someone might drink a beer out of a plastic cup. That way we will be sure that the law will not be broken. however, we could employe a new large group of police and call them the container patrol. There job would be to sniff every cup, bottle, bag or any other container than anyone is carrying in public to make sure that there is no contraband in it. Oh yeah, while we are doing that we might as well do random searches on everyone to be sure they are not carring something in their pockets that they are not suppose to have. Why not also check their cars, their homes....Wow lets all move to Russia...better yet why don't you move to Russia

Hey, I have an idea. Since Dione evidently likes to dumpster dive, and would probably enjoy smelling other peoples cups and stuff, put him in charge of the container patrol!!!!

Two questions.

Is JDB a typical biker rally supporter? Would it be safe to assume that everyone that attended the rally is of the same demeanor?

Why is Chris (the detective) the only black person in all the pics posted?

Keep it up JDB......I can drag this right down Front street and back into the mayors office. Possibly we should all contact our alderman and ask these questions. Better yet, let's get the entire municipal legislative body involved.

This is my last post on this subject. Dionne, I will not waste my time any longer on someone as pitiful as you. you can take your opinion and a dollar and buy a cup of coffee. Rave all you want and you will not change anyones opinion of the bike rally.

Have a great life, and my God bless

Dionne, Are you trying to play the race card now?
Go ahead and drag whatever you want down Front St, and to the Mayor. Get all of the Alderman involved....You have no case pal. Go back to your little bar across the state line, and have a drink of wine....no one cares what you say!!!

see, im glad to read something that doesnt have to do with the stereotype biker, the kind that steals your booze, money, and women, the kind that smell of death when they ride to town. this is a nice story. :)

Dionne:

Why is Chris (the detective) the only black person in all the pics posted?

I can answer that question, Dionne, because I took the pictures and posted them on the Internet.

Chris was not the only black in those pictures. There is a woman and her boyfriend (or husband) and there is a black man seen riding his motorcycle into the park. There were three other blacks at the bike rally, the Mayor, his wife and their little girl. In total, other than Chris, I saw a total of six blacks at the bike rally.

I was only at the bike rally for one day, Saturday. I didn't go Friday and Sunday.

I didn't seek out any person to take a picture of. Chris was in that picture because I was behind him trying to get the picture I wanted of the some of the bikers coming into the park after riding around town. I knew that this would be the only time I could catch 15-20 of them on their bikes at one time, rather than just 1-2 as they were coming into the park off the highway from their ride to Crystal Springs.

I knew that I would be taking a lot of pictures of the bikes standing still, and I wanted the viewer of those pictues to see a few of them being ridden by their owners.

I also took pictues of the rally last year.

A black guy brought his girlfriend last year. She had her own bike that she was riding.

There are a number of blacks in the Crystal Springs area that ride motorcycles. I see them all the time. They're mostly young, under the age of 30-years old.

My primary focus, with the taking of the pictures, is on the motorcycles that people bring to the rally. It's my belief that most people that view the pictures I take, want to see what people were riding to the bike rally. There pictures I took last year didn't have many people in them, and that was brought to my attention. I tried to correct that problem this year with more pictures of the people that attended the rally.

The pictures I took last year will be posted on the same website, which isn't completed at this time. I'm trying to have it done by the end of the week. Even after it is on the Internet, more will be added to try and improve it.

Well, Bud, I hope that I've answered your question.

Johnny

Dionne:

I'm not connected with the bike rally, other than the fact that I've spent some of my time taking pictures and posting them on the Internet.

Johnny