Bikers donate clothes for kids then feast on barbecue

Wearing black leather and revving their engines, bikers from north and south descended on Carson City at midday Saturday. They may have looked tough but their intentions were noble as they collected clothing for school children then sat down to a barbecue lunch.

"It feels so good," said Jan Medley, riding on the back of a Harley Davidson owned by her husband, Bear.

"You're doing something you like but you're helping someone else."

The Medleys were two of about 150 who donated to the annual Klothes 4 Kids back-to-school clothing drive sponsored by KRNV News 4.

"We brought clothes for a little girl and clothes for a little boy," said Jan Medley as she prepared to mount up and hit the road.

A clothing donation was the only entry fee required for Saturday's motorcycle fun run -- which was a new spin on the annual clothing drive.

"This year I just said, 'what can we do to make this a little bit better,'" said organizer Pam Zunini, marketing director for News 4. "We basically just said, 'Let's help the kids.'"

Zunini, who rode to Carson on a BMW motorcycle, said the first-ever motorcycle fun run has been a success.

"All these great people brought new clothes," she said, motioning to tables full of bikers. "It's really turned out well and everybody wants to do it again."

Donations, both clothing and monetary, were collected at 9 a.m. in the morning in both Gardnerville and Reno. On the south end bikers gathered for Boyd's coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts at the Carson Valley Inn while up north they enjoyed the same at the Harley Davidson store. They met up at 11:30 a.m. at Red's Old 395 Grill in Carson for lunch.

All donations will benefit the Family Support Council of Minden and the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission. The clothing will be distributed to underprivileged children in August, Zunini said.

Standing out among all the big men in black chaps Saturday were a pair of little girl girls in pink tutus.

Madison and Morgan Gillott, 3 and 6, and Bailie Zuber, also 6, were selling raffle tickets with their moms to raise funds for the Pinkerton Dance Academy's upcoming "Nutcracker" ballet. The raffle prize is a silver Montana Pro mountain bike with full suspension. They will be doing a short performance today at the Great Chili Cook off at Red's which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

IF YOU GO

What: Great Chili Cook off

Where: Red's Old 395

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today