The Red Knight's
Ohio 5 History
Where did it begin....
The seed for the Ohio 5 Chapter of the Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club was started in 1993 when David Comer, Gary Schubert, and Bill Snodgrass began talking about forming a Central Ohio Chapter of the club. All three of the men had contacted the International separately to express interest and were put in contact with each other.
Our first meeting was held at Westerville's Fire Department on January 16, 1994 with 6 people in attendance. The February Meeting had about 20 people and by March we had 29 people in attendance including a delegation from Indiana 1 and the International Secretary, Dick Morse, from Painesville, Ohio. These people were instrumental in helping Ohio 5 get off the ground. Officers were elected, By-Laws drawn up, and a Charter with 17 Charter Members was submitted to the International for approval.
On April 18, 1994 at approximately 10:15 PM, President Bill Snodgrass received a call that Ohio 5 was the newest Chapter in the RKMC and the International Board was already beginning to take notice. Along with that phone call came 2 requests: 1 ) Would Ohio 5 represent RK International at the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days that year? and 2) Would Ohio 5 be interested in hosting the International Convention in 1995? It was decided we would take on both Vintage Days and the monstrous task of the International Convention, so we set forth with the planning.
Ohio 5 History
Where did it begin....
The seed for the Ohio 5 Chapter of the Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club was started in 1993 when David Comer, Gary Schubert, and Bill Snodgrass began talking about forming a Central Ohio Chapter of the club. All three of the men had contacted the International separately to express interest and were put in contact with each other.
Our first meeting was held at Westerville's Fire Department on January 16, 1994 with 6 people in attendance. The February Meeting had about 20 people and by March we had 29 people in attendance including a delegation from Indiana 1 and the International Secretary, Dick Morse, from Painesville, Ohio. These people were instrumental in helping Ohio 5 get off the ground. Officers were elected, By-Laws drawn up, and a Charter with 17 Charter Members was submitted to the International for approval.
On April 18, 1994 at approximately 10:15 PM, President Bill Snodgrass received a call that Ohio 5 was the newest Chapter in the RKMC and the International Board was already beginning to take notice. Along with that phone call came 2 requests: 1 ) Would Ohio 5 represent RK International at the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days that year? and 2) Would Ohio 5 be interested in hosting the International Convention in 1995? It was decided we would take on both Vintage Days and the monstrous task of the International Convention, so we set forth with the planning.
The
1995 Convention was held at Stouffer's Inn in Dublin,
Ohio with approximately 250 people in attendance.
Thursday evening was a Kick off and Welcome Reception
at the AMA Motorcycle Heritage Museum in Westerville,
Ohio.
Friday's highlight was the guided tour through the Honda Motorcycle manufacturing plant in Marysville, Ohio with a motorcycle show and vendor fair back at Stouffer's Inn in Dublin.
Saturday's activities included a tour at the Horton Emergency Vehicles facility in Grove City and a visit to the Central Ohio Fire Museum at old Engine House #16 in Downtown Columbus.
The convention was officially closed on Saturday evening with the annual banquet, but with some Ohio 5 "flare". A Bagpipe corps from Delaware County opened the festivities, followed by an elegant sit-down dinner and the annual awards presentation, which included a surprise belly-dance performance for Dick Morse who was retiring as Secretary of the International and afterwards a disc jockey spun tunes well into the night.
Over the course of the busy weekend, Guests were treated to vendors, guided shopping trips to purchase souvenirs (including some permanent mementos from a local tattoo parlor!), breakfast buffets, a hospitality room every night, and amenities that had not been seen before at any other RKMC convention. Everyone went home knowing this had been (and still is) one of the best conventions ever.
Ohio 5 has continued to be active in the International and has participated in every Convention held by other Chapters since the year we were officially designated as a club. This has taken us to Indianapolis, Daytona, Boston, New York City and Leamington Ontario Canada. We have also represented the International each July at the American Motorcycle Association's Vintage Motorcycle Days, and members from our Chapter travel to Washington, DC each year for the Rolling Thunder Ride To The Vietnam Wall. Our members have hosted get-togethers close to home and have taken trips that range anywhere from 50 mile afternoon rides to 2 week cross country tours of 1500 miles or more.
In November of 2002 the Ohio Association of the Red Knights was formed. In 2003, Ohio 5 hosted the first Annual Ohio Association Spring Conference in April and the first annual Ohio Association Red Knights Memorial Poker Run in September.
In 2004, Ohio 5 celebrated its 10th anniversary as a Chapter of the International Red Knights Motorcycle Club. During our first 10 years our Presidents have been Bill Snodgrass, Dave Comer and Mike Wells. •
See the next page for the historical photos.
Friday's highlight was the guided tour through the Honda Motorcycle manufacturing plant in Marysville, Ohio with a motorcycle show and vendor fair back at Stouffer's Inn in Dublin.
Saturday's activities included a tour at the Horton Emergency Vehicles facility in Grove City and a visit to the Central Ohio Fire Museum at old Engine House #16 in Downtown Columbus.
The convention was officially closed on Saturday evening with the annual banquet, but with some Ohio 5 "flare". A Bagpipe corps from Delaware County opened the festivities, followed by an elegant sit-down dinner and the annual awards presentation, which included a surprise belly-dance performance for Dick Morse who was retiring as Secretary of the International and afterwards a disc jockey spun tunes well into the night.
Over the course of the busy weekend, Guests were treated to vendors, guided shopping trips to purchase souvenirs (including some permanent mementos from a local tattoo parlor!), breakfast buffets, a hospitality room every night, and amenities that had not been seen before at any other RKMC convention. Everyone went home knowing this had been (and still is) one of the best conventions ever.
Ohio 5 has continued to be active in the International and has participated in every Convention held by other Chapters since the year we were officially designated as a club. This has taken us to Indianapolis, Daytona, Boston, New York City and Leamington Ontario Canada. We have also represented the International each July at the American Motorcycle Association's Vintage Motorcycle Days, and members from our Chapter travel to Washington, DC each year for the Rolling Thunder Ride To The Vietnam Wall. Our members have hosted get-togethers close to home and have taken trips that range anywhere from 50 mile afternoon rides to 2 week cross country tours of 1500 miles or more.
In November of 2002 the Ohio Association of the Red Knights was formed. In 2003, Ohio 5 hosted the first Annual Ohio Association Spring Conference in April and the first annual Ohio Association Red Knights Memorial Poker Run in September.
In 2004, Ohio 5 celebrated its 10th anniversary as a Chapter of the International Red Knights Motorcycle Club. During our first 10 years our Presidents have been Bill Snodgrass, Dave Comer and Mike Wells. •
See the next page for the historical photos.