Between the motorcycles and the music, Rock Creek was a noisy place over the long weekend as the 25th annual Association for Injured Motorcyclists (AIM) Boogie Bash was held at the Rock Creek Fairgrounds. Riders came from all corners of the province to party and raise funds for the AIM Interior Chapter.
Two long-time AIM members, both from the Vancouver AIM Chapter who had come up to help organize the weekend in Rock Creek were given the task of doing an interview while Interior Chapter president Dave (Newfie) Stuckless was busy with the Boogie Bash.
Gary Richardson who serves as the visitation director, joined Dave Munro president of the Vancouver Chapter of AIM in the interview.
They explained that the purpose of AIM is to assist motorcycle accident victims or their families following an accident. “We help any injured rider – they do not have to be a member of AIM,” said Richardson.
When invited by the injured rider or their family, AIM provides regular weekly hospital visits and helps with some expenses such as paying for the downed rider’s TV and spouses parking while they are hospitalized. Richardson said parking alone could cost more that $50 a day in the Lower Mainland.
After the rider is discharged AIM is available to continue with home visits, perhaps providing transportation so the injured rider can get to the bank or shoveling the snow off their walk.
“We never know what we are going to do for someone until we go talk to them,” explained Munro.
The Boogie Bash gives the Interior Chapter the funds to do that work, and it attracts bikers from all over the province who come to party and have a good time. “Attitudes aren’t permitted,” stressed Munro.
There are a number of organized events throughout the weekend – a poker run, Bavarian garden, bike games in the arena, and live music at night.
It rained a bit every day of the four-day event this year – some days more than others.
Both Richardson and Munro are amputees who themselves have lost a leg in motorcycle accidents. Richardson’s in 1969 - long before AIM was formed.
Munro was active in the group as a director some years ago but didn’t experience his accident until six years ago. “Because I was doing stuff with AIM it kind of helped me,” he says. “I never stopped doing stuff when I was in the hospital. It kept me going, it kept me busy. I never stopped doing things like that so I never went through the different stages of depression and everything else. Because I was always busy. Anybody who gets a trauma thing like that if they are busy doing things they don’t go through that stage until after they slow down and they have time to think.”
Richardson said that AIM welcomes local residents to the event, inviting them to pass through the gate for free. “The more you have the local residents involved the happier they are because they see what is going on,” he said.
He stressed that no one gets paid for the work they do with AIM, although incidental expenses such as gas and parking are reimbursed. “Everything else goes to the injured riders.”
Because most injured motorcyclists are transported to the Lower Mainland for their initial treatment and rehab, the Vancouver Chapter is a busy one. There are now four chapters in the province: Vancouver, Interior, Prince George and Kootenays and riders will be referred to their local chapter when they head home. Each chapter is financially independent, though each must abide by the constitution and bylaws as adopted by the Vancouver Chapter in 1983.
“AIM will help anybody who has been hurt on a motorcycle, but we have to be called,” said Munro. “We do not ambulance chase. Once we are called then we can go see him – but we have to be invited in.”
He said at least ten riders who have been helped by AIM in the past were in attendance at the Boogie Bash, and that’s where he feels a sense of gratitude – to see someone doing well after