Did you receive a check from HBC recently and wonder why you received it? If so, take a look at the memo line of the check and if you have further questions, contact the event chairperson or treasurer. The annual tour events are planned by the event committees to be cost neutral as paid by the member participants, but sometimes a hotel or another vendor provides an unexpected discount or refund. When that happens in more than a nominal amount, since the event was paid by the participants, the surplus is refunded back to the participants. This happened with Fall Tour and Williamsburg Weekend in 2014. Also, after the fact in 2014, HBC received two vendor refunds for Williamsburg Weekend 2013. As a result of these vendor refunds and discounts, HBC was able to issue over $2,700 in refunds at the end of November 2014 to many of the participants in these three events.

By Cindy Hoehn

In 2004, as president of the HBC, I instituted a road cleanup program with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PDOT).  We were assigned a road we as bicyclists ride often, Texaco Road.  Many of you, too many to name individually, have helped cleanup this one mile long strip of road for 10 years.

To acknowledge this milestone, PDOT will place a 10-year anniversary plaque beneath the existing identification signs at either end of our assigned road.

Many thanks to those who have contributed their time for this worthy cause.  As you continue cycling, please keep this thought in mind that Owen Moore said to me while on a ride, “If each cyclist would just pick up one piece of trash while on a bike ride, what a difference we could make.”

Owen Moore received the Lifetime Service Award at this year’s HBC Banquet. Owen Moore has consistently been here for our club.  He joined in 1971 and he is our longest continuous member.  He and his wife Fran were our Spokesman editors for many years.  He has been an HBC President twice, once in 1975 and again in 1989.  In 1973 he initiated and has led our Annual Maintenance Clinic, and in 1975 he helped establish our annual Invitational Apple Butter Boil Ride.  In 1976 he was the master mind and founder of our Sunday Morning Sociable Ride.  He has been coordinating and participating in that ride for 38 years.  He is our #1 promoter of the HBC Fall Tour, and in fact  was one of its founders.  During the tour he has been a steady 6-pack leader, and has only missed 3 of these tours in the 40 years we have held them.  He created the "Learning to Linger" ride, has been a mentor, a flat tire changer, a great back massager and he always has a smile and a greeting for everyone he meets.  He has also offered lodging at his home to traveling cyclists through Host Home and the Warm Showers Program.

One of his sayings is “Every ride should end around a table".  In other words the ride itself is a small part of what a bike club is about.  We get to know each other on the ride but more so after the ride when we get together and socialize.  That is how new ideas are generated.  Every Sunday he does just that getting together with members for breakfast after his Sunday Sociable.  When he and his wife did our Spokesman newsletter he would invite members over for a folding of the newsletter party, which was just another way he involved people and made them feel included in the club.  Owen has done so much for the club throughout the years we wanted to acknowledge his contributions and award him with the well-deserved HBC Lifetime Service Award.

Bill Wierman received the Service Before Self Award at this year’s HBC Banquet.  Bill has served the HBC longer than most of us have been members.   Since July of 1983 the address of the HBC has been the same.  1011 Bridge St., New Cumberland, PA.   This  address has been stable and steady for so long that we all have taken it for granted that this address is HBC.   What does this mean?  This means that Bill is basically a ONE MAN OPERATION and has handled every piece of incoming mail, membership applications, membership renewals and a multitude of club questions, including legal issues.   Our OPS Committee officers have changed throughout the years and our address could have changed, causing confusion and problems but not so because of the behind the scenes work of Bill Wierman.

Not only has Bill been the HBC address, but he has handled the bulk mailing of our Spokesman and has  also  been a regular sweep and fill in for the Sunday Morning Sociable rides for many years.  He was our Corresponding Secretary from 1979-1983 and he and his wife Wendie were the club secretaries in 1987 and 88.  He has been a support for the slower paced, more casual riders and first time fall tour participants.  He has been a regular Six Pack Fall Tour leader going way back to the days when the fall tour was only a  three day tour with that long 100 mile first day.  He was instrumental in the making of the 5:30 AM Lingering Rides during the summer, he sends out condolence cards for the bike club and has been active in the scouting program by organizing rides on the C&O rail trail to help the boys get there Biking merit badge.  It takes time and caring to do all this on a regular basis.  Therefore Bill Wierman was selected to receive this years’ Service Before Self Award.  As an added thank you, he was presented with a lifetime membership in the HBC.

We had a great turn out for road cleanup this month with several newcomers.  Christine Kramer, with her sons Christian Kramer and Ryan Kennedy joined Tim and Cindy Hoehn for breakfast at Diener’s in Mechanicsburg. We then headed to the starting point on Texaco Road to find Joan Short and Emery Ehrenfeld who had already cleaned half the road.  Emery left his trash with us and then headed across State Road to clean all the way to Rt 114.  Great job Emery.  We later were joined by Donna Finn as well.  We found about 5 golf balls, a vacuum cleaner attachment, a wrench and a jaw with teeth from we suspect a dinosaur.  Thank you to all for helping keep our roadways beautiful.  See you in the Spring.

HBC Member Keith Spangler sat down with West Shore EMS paramedic Rex Carmichael to share his knowledge and expertise in managing emergencies.  Please take a minute to read through Keith's forum post here.  There is a wealth of useful information!  Thanks Keith!