BWAH's Year Ends on a Happy Note

  The days of fall are on the wane. This has been one for the history books, has it not? In September, we lost our innocence as a nation. Perhaps the gift we gained is a better understanding of those who live with constant turmoil, and those who unselfishly serve. We ended our sixth BWAH year in our usual grand style. It has been a good season for our group. We have had exceptional children, and enjoyed a banner year. In spite of the weather, we had a fine turnout for the "Blast" at the Washington Hose Company in Kennebunk. It has become a national endeavor to thank our firefighters. We have always appreciated what you do for us, and once again thank you sincerely. With a much deeper understanding of the contribution our firefighters and police officers make, we offer our sincere gratitude.

A Day Shared With Donnavan:

  Donnavan has a guardian angel. It is his sister Bryanna. Their mother, Sue, tells me that Bryanna loves her brother and watches out for him. Although, I hear he tends to be something of a comedian, I understand that Don-navan tells things exactly as he sees them. Whatever Donnavan is thinking is exactly what you hear. This guy pulls no punches! We enjoyed sharing his day with him, and heard only positive comments. He sure did look comfortable sitting in the catbird seat of the Bill Wilbur's sidecar. I hope you will forgive me for saying it, Donnavan, but your smile is precious.

Gifts and Honors:

 Donnavan had a quartet of gift givers. Mary Mihailoff read and presented him with his Certificate of Honor. Holly, Sasha and Sophia gave him a goodie bag full of gifts. The rest of us cheered and enjoyed seeing that special Donnavan smile.

In Appreciation:

  The year would be incomplete without thanking the many who contributed. The voluntary spirit of this group is wonderful to see. Our road captains have pro-vided safety repeatedly. BWAH riders willingly give one Sunday afternoon a month to bring a child the gift of their love and understanding. We treasure the presence of both our old and new members. Our ride becomes rich with humor whenever there is a clown with us. We miss them when circumstances force them to be elsewhere. Renzo and Pepe, you add warmth and laughter to our gatherings.
 
Always we appreciate the efforts of Sgt (Lt?) Fecteau and the community police who protect us and provide safety.
 
For the addition of a web page of our own, we thank Jeromy Washington. It is a great job, Jeromy. We took the ride into advanced technology this year, thanks to you.
 
My own personal thanks go to my husband, Rudy. Although I write the Banner, he is the one who formats, critiques and supports me while I do it. His criticism is always kind, and his suggestions valuable.
 
Most of all we want to thank the children and their families for allowing us to be a part of their lives and share in a special time.

Special Recognition:

  Each year Vas presents awards and recognizes those who have made significant contributions to BWAH's year. However, he routinely overlooks two of our most valuable assets. Vas and Mary, it is not overstating the case to say that your personal contributions are more than significant. We recognize and appreciate your efforts. It is heart warming to know that there are people like you. We salute you both, and Vas don't you dare remove this paragraph from the final copy!

Ending 2001:

  As the weather worsens and the bikes go into winter storage we shall treasure loving memories of the 2001 BWAH "Rides for Cheer". Stay warm and safe over the winter months. Let us all hope and pray that our nation remains safe and strong, and that we see an end to the fear.