The Lost Girls Motorcycle Club held their annual ladies-only run on Saturday, October 3rd to benefit the Kaweah Imaging Center through the Kaweah Delta Hospital Foundation. The all female organization has risen over $45,000 to date with the event, paying for mammograms for women locally who otherwise could not afford them. The ride originated in 2005 after one of the club’s co-founders mother lost her battle to breast cancer in 2002.
Over 140 pink-clad riders from as far away as Yuba City braved the uncertain weather for the ride and its special cause. The ribbon-adorned bikes and their riders left the Kaweah Imaging Center in Visalia under fresh blue skies, led by Visalia Police Department’s first and only female motorcycle officer Heidi Henry, cruising through tranquil country roads towards the foothills. After meandering northward along the hills through Woodlake and Elderwood, the route took the riders back towards Blossom Trail country in east Fresno County, where their final destination of the ride awaited them at KC’s Ranch outside of the rural farming city of Reedley.
Upon their arrival, the riders and other supporters in attendance were treated to a great lunch and music. In every direction, one could see the “I Love Boobies” and “Save The Ta-Ta’s” t-shirts, worn by women and men alike. This year’s event took a detour from the standard bike-decorating contest and instead offered a bra-decorating contest, with entries featuring everything from flashing lights to clapping hands and talking! After the contest, it was time to move on to the silent auction and raffles. Obviously designed to bait the attendees, a huge bounty of prizes donated by supporters throughout the valley sat to the side on specially decorated tables, including the grand prize $5,000 custom paint job donated by Chris Lacey’s MC Customs of Visalia.
The Lost Girls Motorcycle Club was co-founded in 2006 by current officers Catherine “Cat” Flaherty, president; Belinda “Bee” Coulson, vice-president; and Cindy “SideCar” Dupuis, secretary/treasurer. In addition to the breast cancer ride, the Lost Girls are also involved in making and donating gift baskets for women living in battered women’s shelters. Catherine notes “Other organizations take care of the kids, but the mothers are hidden for their own protection and largely forgotten.” Other activity include donating Christmas trees and wreathes for silent auction to benefit the Kaweah Imaging Center and Battered Women’s Shelter; and doing volunteer work on election days at polling stations. “After belonging to groups that largely supported their husband’s riding events and activities, our goal was to create a club that not only was exclusively women, but also empowered women,” Cindy explained, “It’s like a sisterhood. If someone has a problem, we come running.” “I love my husband, but as I get older, I really appreciate my relationship with my girlfriends,” says Belinda. In defending their women-only membership, Catherine responds “It’s the same way with men’s clubs; we don’t get invited to their meetings.” Bee quickly adds “Unless you’re coming out of a cake!”
NOTE: The Lost Girls hold monthly meetings in Visalia. For more information or if you are interested in possibly joining the club, visit www.lostgirlsmc.com or call 559-799-4796.
