SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLIO) - Shawnee United Methodist Church continued its 24-year-long tradition as bikers from across the region gathered for the church’s annual Blessing of the Bikes.
Those with the church say they are grateful for the opportunity to offer support and prayer for the riders.
Riders began arriving as early as 7 a.m. to have their motorcycles blessed for a safe riding season. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, there have been more than 20,000 motorcycle-involved crashes on Ohio roadways in the past five years, with more than 1,000 of those resulting in fatalities. Motorcycles require more physical strength than standard vehicles and lack the protective structure most cars and trucks provide. Those with the church say they are grateful for the opportunity to offer support and prayer for the riders.
"Well, the community of bikers is a very special community. They do a lot of things to help other people. They don't just ride for fun. They're they're out there serving people, and that fits in very well with our mission, which is to serve like Jesus. So we just want to recognize all the good that they do, as well as recognize that they do need some protection as they're writing, and they do need God to be watching over them, and so we're glad to give this blessing, and we're glad for them to be a blessing for others," said Eva Marie Wolfe, lead pastor at Shawnee United Methodist Church.
The church is already looking forward to next year’s Blessing of the Bikes, which is always held the first weekend in May.
