Blessing of the Bikes brings bikers rolling into Columbus
Columbus Police Department hosted its Blessing of the Bikes motorcycle ride with around 100 bikers from the area participating.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The sound of revving engines filled Columbus Main Street this Saturday morning.
Columbus Police Department hosted its Blessing of the Bikes motorcycle ride with around 100 bikers from the area participating.
The ride is in conjunction with the West Point Police Department and the Christian Motorcyclist Association.
Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said they wanted to gather together and bless their riding season.
“We want to have a good safe and blessed riding season. It is very important that we have a safe riding season and what better way to start it off than with a blessing of the bikes,” Daughtry said.
But the event is about even more than that. Daughtry says they also hope to break stereotypes.
“A lot of people feel that if you’re a motorcyclist you’re a thug or if you’re a member of a club that you’re a thug and that’s not true. We have the punishers who are out here. They’re a law enforcement motorcycle club. We have street jumpers out here, who have been every time the Columbus Police Department has called them to help with something in the community, they’ve been right there. And in all of these groups, you have businessmen, you have people with professional jobs, you have educators, you have law enforcement so we just want to change the narrative,” Daughtry said.
He said the event has grown significantly since last year with more riders.
Returning motorcyclist Joe McMillian and first-timer Scotty Bradley both agreed that the event provides an opportunity for the community.
“As bikers people look at us as thugs and all that but we are an organization that is more like a brotherhood. Bikers are more combined. It doesn’t matter what color you are but it is all the same love,” McMillian said.
“Just the fellowship, the brotherhood, and prayer over the bikes is what it is really about,” Bradley said.
This year was the 2nd annual Blessing of the Bikes.
