A MOTORCYCLE group known as M8s is making a difference in the community by raising funds one barbecue and one ride at a time.
All funds raised go straight to local individuals and families facing hardship.
Their methods are grassroots and hands-on: monthly sausage sizzles, wood raffles, and community rides.
M8s began as a gathering of friends around four years ago, who shared a passion for motorcycles and a background in community service.
Club member Chris Bavage said they were guided by a simple mission:
“Raise money, and give it directly to those in need,” Mr Bavage said.
“We’re not bikers in the stereotypical sense.
“We’re just mates who love riding and helping people.”
With 14 members currently, the group operates as a not-for-profit club that fundraises throughout the year.
Mr Bavage said the funds they raise go straight to those who need it with the group avoiding using corporations and never through intermediaries like GoFundMe.
“We don’t do corporate donations,” he said.
“Too much gets taken out in fees.
“We want to hand it straight to the person who needs it.”
One example includes a donation to a father of one-year-old twins who lost his wife in a tragic accident.
In another case, the club helped rebuild a shed for a local man who lost tools passed down from his grandfather.
The group also stepped in to assist a young girl injured in a motor accident, helping her family manage the costs while she was flown to Melbourne for treatment.
The group estimates they’ve donated over $6000 to various causes since starting.
“It may not sound like much, but for someone in crisis, it can be life-changing,” Mr Bavage said.
The group is careful with how they distribute funds.
“We vet each request,” Mr Bavage said.
“You can’t just say you’re doing it tough and expect money. We make sure it’s a genuine need,”
All members pay annual fees to cover operational costs so that 100 per cent of the funds raised go to those in need.
Mr Bavage said the group’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.
Several local businesses have come on board and helped the group upgrade their trailer.
Despite their motorcycle roots, membership isn’t restricted to riders.
“Half our members are women, and only one of them actually rides,” Mr Bavage said.
“The rest are pillions or just great people who want to help.”
New members are first welcomed as social members for 12 months at $60 per year.
Full membership, at $120, comes with a vest and gear to help represent the club during rides and events.
“We do it to look united and to show we’re about community,” Mr Bavage said.
Next on their radar is another monthly barbecue at the Lions Club Nyah Market, held on every second Saturday of the month 9am until 12pm.
Mr Bavage said even though winter is coming, it won’t slow them down.
“Even if there are only half a dozen of us out there, we’ll still be flipping sausages and raising funds,” he said.
“It’s just our way of giving back.
“We don’t do it for praise. We do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
