The Black Gold Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, also known as BACA, will hold their fourth annual awareness rally Saturday at the Union County Fairgrounds.
All proceeds from the rally will remain in Union County, said Ray-J, member of BACA. BACA members are known by their biker handles and not their legal names.
“100 percent of the money goes towards therapy for the kids,” Ray-J said. “No one in BACA receives a payment, we are 100 percent volunteer.”
BACA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 1994 to provide aid, comfort, safety and support for children who have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused.
“We try to let people know who we are and what we do because there’s still a big misconception,” Ray-J said. “They see motorcycles and leather vests and think we’re vigilantes and we’re not. You would be amazed at the mental health professionals and law enforcement, people like that, that are part of this organization.”
The South Arkansas Children’s Coalition also will have a table set up at the rally, which is free to attend, though some events that require registration have a fee.
“It’s really important that people learn about them and what they do,” Ray-J said. “That’s where we refer all of our cases to for therapy.”
Ray-J said even though the rally is a fundraiser, their main goal is to bring awareness to the community and for people to know about the resources provided by the organizations.
Gates for the rally will open at 9 a.m., beginning with the registration for a Pre 79 Antique Car Show for cars that were made before 1979. The car show will start around 10 a.m., along with registration for the dice run.
The dice run will begin at 11 a.m., with the last bike returning by 1 p.m.
From 11 a.m. till 2 p.m., Ray-J said the South Arkansas Children’s Coalition will have a free kid’s zone set up for children ages 12 and under.
Around 1 p.m., bike games will begin, which include a slow race, hoop toss, “ball drop” and a bike wash.
“Everything is slow moving, but it’s a lot of fun,” Ray-J said. “Motorcycles are not made to go slow.”
Right at 5 p.m., the band Hubcap & the Loose Nuts will perform. Ray-J said the band was just nominated for the sixth year in a row as the Texas blues band of the year.
At 7 p.m., the band Mordecai will perform.
“Mordecai are going to rock El Dorado,” Ray-J said. “They are big in Europe and they’re starting to make a name for themselves here.”
One of the members of Mordecai is part of BACA and knows Ray-J from a BACA international meeting in Las Vegas, Ray-J said.
“We don’t discuss numbers, whether it be members of BACA or numbers of cases, but the number of cases in just our community would blow their minds,” Ray-J said. “(The rally) brings people together for a common cause and we just want people to come out, enjoy, meet and find out what we’re about, what our (Children’s Advocacy Center) is about and enjoy themselves.”
Kaitlyn Rigdon can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].