Rooted in religion and fellowship, a regional motorbike team whose founder is aware of the energy of each is trying to get to prolong its attain in the neighborhood.
Russell “Black Magic” Shuler established in 2012 the We Journey business, a team of bike riders that has little by little developed in Orangeburg to a lot more than 20 users.
Right after possessing ridden with numerous motorcycle teams to diverse motorcycle situations and other actions throughout the country, Shuler determined it was time to start out his have team.
“When I moved listed here into Orangeburg, I joined The Rolling Tigers. I rode with them for a number of yrs. … More than the a long time I determined that I would attempt to variety a group of my possess,” Shuler mentioned.
“Following assembly a number of of the gentlemen close to the Orangeburg place … we started out riding a very little little bit and then I reported, ‘Well, we will need to just go in advance and start off a group of our individual.’ I named it We Trip since which is what I adore to do. I assumed they wished to do the same thing, and they did,” he reported.
Member Alvin “AJ” Jones explained, “We were being additional or considerably less housed downed in the Lowcountry area, and then the firm started off really developing. When I say expanding, a good deal of fellas in Orangeburg noticed what Magic was doing.”
Jones ongoing, “We were driving all the way down to pretty close to Charleston, hanging out with individuals fellas and accomplishing matters in that neighborhood. The guys in Orangeburg stated, ‘We require to make ourselves recognized in Orangeburg. We will need to do neighborhood items in Orangeburg.'”
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The group’s to start with initiative was to spouse with Paths to Wholeness, an Orangeburg-dependent nonprofit devoted to aiding previously incarcerated females transition back into culture.
Jones explained the group has taken care of landscaping and servicing requirements at the site.
“There was a residence that was acquired. We went in, and the residence was all grown up. We went in and cleaned out all the bushes. The property is authentic obvious now. We did some of the servicing perform around the property, and each individual 7 days we go around there and lower the grass, regardless of what needs to be performed,” he claimed.
Shuler explained the team wants to established a fantastic instance within the neighborhood past just driving.
“Most importantly, we wished to set a very good case in point in our community as good citizens who experience motorcycles. Be fantastic part products … and allow them see a group of very well-mannered grownups and know that we do excellent supportive matters for and within just the local community,” the group’s founder claimed.
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The group sponsored a significant Easter egg hunt this yr at Edisto Memorial Gardens in collaboration with Orangeburg County Very first Steps and Paths to Wholeness, full with a fish fry. It is on the lookout to guidance back-to-faculty initiatives this yr by delivering little ones with school provides.
Jones claimed, “It was a genuine great turnout. We hid about 400 eggs for the youngsters. It was meant to be just one golden egg. Our CEO, Drag, said, ‘Oh no, we can not have one golden egg.’ He wished to make sure a pair of kids acquired some monetary items. So we experienced a few golden eggs that have been supplied out.”
Member Joseph “Drag” North serves as We Ride’s main executive officer. He can be seen riding his a few-wheeled motorbike, or trike, all around Orangeburg with a teddy bear and its cigar accompanying him on the back again.
North stated he enjoys having together with team members to have entertaining and meet new people today.
“We often try to do one thing for the youth. The youngsters are initial in our group. They appear to start with. Nearly anything the young ones want or require, we are there for them. They are our upcoming,” he reported.
The team obtained together to serve foods from Increased Religion Baptist Church’s soup kitchen area on July 23 in Orangeburg.
Jones, a member of Better Religion, explained the church runs the soup kitchen area every single Saturday, serving as several as 75 to 85 meals. The We Journey Corporation made the decision to sponsor and serve the foods on July 23, he said.
“We’re hoping to support as numerous people as we appear in contact with. … That is how it goes, just to share back again some of the blessing that the Lord has blessed us with,” Jones claimed.
Shuler said as membership has developed in the Orangeburg group, there was also a connect with to turn into extra associated in group service. There are designs, for example, to take part in a Stuff-A-Bus campaign all through Xmas, as properly as to make a donation to St. Jude Kid’s Investigate Healthcare facility.
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The group, which also features female members, has participated in many Christmas parades across The T&D Location, even driving 94-calendar year-old Louise Johnson, the mom of Larger Faith’s church, in the 2021 Orangeburg Christmas parade. Johnson is an honorary member of the team.
North stated, “That is what we are trying to exhibit people today. We are not a club. We are just an corporation, and almost everything we do is beneficial. We are not going out there starting issues and things like that. … We normally display everybody respect almost everywhere we go. We want to clearly show the kids that all people who rides a motorcycle is not a terrible individual.”
Member Alexander “Unk” Frazier explained, “I love carrying out what I do. I like to journey. I like to have enjoyment. I like to go distinctive areas to have entertaining. That was my goal right after I retired, to go and have fun and dwell the great life.”
Frazier, North and Shuler took a cross-country trip to and from California in 2018.
“It’s just anything nice to do than just sitting around and having outdated and don’t do very little. You operate all your daily life, you get pleasure from oneself with the small bit of time you received remaining,” Frazier explained.
Jones, who retired right after doing work 43 a long time in the producing marketplace, mentioned, “That type of driving is when you recognize a trike. All 4 of us have been down to Critical West, all the way in the bottom. We have bought shots.”
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Shuler is a two-time cancer survivor and 30-year veteran of the U.S. Maritime Corps who retired from the U.S. Postal Provider. He stated he appreciates the assistance he has gotten about the many years from group customers who appear from a range of nationalities.
He said he is aware he is blessed and is pleased to encompass himself with team customers who feel the similar way and want to add to the community in a constructive way.
“The skills to become a member of our group are to first and foremost consider in a larger electrical power than ourselves,” Shuler said.
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“We are not likely out there starting off hassle and things like that. … We always show every person regard in all places we go. We want to exhibit the children that every person who rides a motorbike is not a undesirable particular person.”
Joseph “Drag” North