David Lidgard is not the sort of person you might imagine as the head of a “Bikie Gang”.
Yet on December 10 that is exactly what he will be.
Don’t be concerned, however, it will be a ‘gang’ with very good intentions.
David is organising the local motor bike riders of the Southern Highlands to ride to Rosehill Gardens. From there they will join 3,000 riders from throughout NSW who will then ride, en mass, to the Salvation Army depot at Prospect.
No. They are not holding a demonstration or rally but they are rallying to demonstrate their generosity and the generosity of others by filling the shortfall of Christmas gifts for the Sally’s.
This is the fifth year that Dave and his wife have been involved in the ride on the Toy Run. Last year there were 30 riders from the Highlands and this year Dave is aiming to get at least sixty to join the ride.
They will be leaving the Highlands at 8:30 am and will meet at Bowral Motorcycles in Bowral Street, Bowral. They will ride to Grand Ave in Rosehill to meet the other riders at 10:00 am before heading off, under police escort, to Prospect at 11:00 am. Dave described the scene last year as “a sea of bikes”.
You don’t have to prearrange your attendance, just turn up on the day with your toys. They prefer toys not to be wrapped so that the Salvo’s can identify and distribute toys according to needs. The riders always encourage others to contribute toys if they can’t come along for the ride.
Saddle bags and backpacks are usually bulging and they invite you to contribute a toy this year.
The size or age of the bike and the rider doesn’t matter. Dave said just come along for a great day with other riders from the Highlands whilst helping the kids. Dave will be on his Yamaha 900 Diversion.
Dave and his wife, Kay, saw an ad five years ago and joined the ride as they “Thought it would be a good day out”.
The first two years that they rode the event ended at the Fire Museum in Penrith and they tended to loose each other in the crowd. This year the Highland group will be meeting at Wallacia for lunch after the ride to Prospect. This was tried for the first time last year and some great friendships were made.
Dave always enjoys Christmas and has three children and eight grandchildren of his own. He is also a great great uncle. He feels for those youngsters who, but for the efforts of the Salvo’s would have a bleak Christmas indeed.
It is not surprising that Dave has a strong sense of community spirit. He has been the president of the Bundanoon Rural Fire Service for some 13 years and was vice president of the Brigadoon committee for around 9 years and was president of the Bundanoon Community Development Committee for three years.
He has been acknowledged for efforts and received the Community Service Award when John Fahey was the Premier of NSW.
It was whilst he was fighting fires at Wombeyan Cave in 1989 that he and fellow fire fighters decided that they needed some sort of mobile catering unit and “we had to do something about it”.
“All the brigades raised money for the canteen” said Dave and the canteen was ready for action in 1992. It was a bus that has been converted and now contains cooking facilities, fridges, freezer, and a stock of drygoods. It has also been fitted out as a mini command centre.
The use of this unit is not restricted to bush fires and is used in any emergency situation including the search in the Belanglo forest, searches for motorcyclists, bushwalkers, rail accidents, indeed any operation where “People need to be fed and there is a need for a command centre.”
As with all volunteer groups they are always on the lookout for more willing helpers. There need to be crews of four people and there are three crews required for every day they are in the field.
Dave says, “there are a lot of retired, bored people who are looking for something to do” but is concerned that once they hear the word “fire brigade” they ‘freeze in fear”. The catering unit remains in safe areas away from the fires where the fire fighters can come for some relief. The volunteers provide “food, nourishment and encouragement”. Volunteers get a great deal of satisfaction helping others and they earn the respect of those they are helping.
Dave encourages those who may be interested in volunteering some of their time to give him a call.
Another of the ventures in which Dave has been is involved is “Convoy for Kids” where youngsters are given the opportunity to ride in the semi trailers. All monies from this venture go towards Westmead and Careflight.
Dave has the philosophy “People help us and we help back” that is what being a community member is all about.
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