Ride 4 Life will return for 3 days in September
Photo by Tom Rivers: Scott Caraboolad, center, and his motorbike stunt team perform in early October last year on East State Street in Albion, in front of about 300 people by the Orleans County Courthouse. Ride 4 Life will return Sept. 13-15.
A group of local pastors took a chance last year in welcoming a group of motorcycle stunt riders to the county for shows at local schools, as well as community performances in Albion and Medina and a big event at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The stunt riders impress with their acrobatics on the motorcycles. They also brought a message of overcoming addiction.
Scott Caraboolad, the lead rider, also shared about his Christian faith during the community performances in Albion and Medina, as well as the “Hopefest” at the Fairgrounds, which was attended by about 1,500 attended.
Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, didn’t know what to expect with the motorcycle riders. They won him over with their sincerity in their message, and their ability to captivate a crowd with the wheelies and other tricks they do on the motorcycles.
File photo: Scott Caraboolad speaks to Holley students after a stunt show last October.
Lindsay is a member of Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation, which includes pastors from about a dozen local churches. They worked to bring in Ride 4 Life last year and will have Caraboolad and his team back from Sept. 13-15.
PACT worked with other local agencies to welcome the motorcycle riders. PACT has been part of forums on the opioid addiction in Orleans County and has urged people to become coaches in assisting people through recovery.
“Our goal is to keep people who are vulnerable to drug addiction from going down that path,” Lindsay told the Albion Rotary Club on Thursday. “People who are in drug addiction we want to give them some hope and connect them to resources.”
Ride 4 Life will perform stunt shows at some of the local schools and share a message about making good choices. The stunt riders will also be featured during a 6 p.m. show on Sept. 13 in Medina’s Canal Basin, 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 in Albion on East State Street in front of the courthouse, and during “Hopefest” from noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the fairgrounds.
The Hopefest will also include a classic car cruise-in with free admission. For information about the car show, call 585-590-0777.
Lindsay said PACT has a long-term goal of developing a community care center in the county for people fighting addiction.
