WINGS ACROSS TENNESSEE

(How it got started)

The ‘Wings Across Tennessee’ ride grew out of a fund raising event by Tennessee Chapter C (Gold Wing Road Riders Association) in Northeast Tennessee they called a ‘Cruise-In’. Mike Taylor of Elizabethton, TN made the suggestion to the Chapter that if we ever wanted to do something for the Children at St. Jude Hospital, a cruise in would be a fun way to raise money. Mike organized the first event and it was held at the Pizza Inn in Elizabethton. Everyone was invited to come show their cars and motorcycles and have their picture made for a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. They raised $5000 that first year in 1996 and nine Members rode their Gold Wings to Memphis to give their donation and visit with the children. The nine were: Mike and Carolyn Taylor, Jon and Nancy Byrd, Keith and Brenda Marsh,  Daniel and Nyoka Holder, and Lawrence Roberts.

Tom Jarrell coined the name ‘Wings Across Tennessee’ and the Chapter invited all the GWRRA Chapters in Region N (Appalachian Region) to have a fund raiser and join them on the ride from Bristol to the hospital in Memphis. This exciting event continues to grow and the Children at the Hospital benefit.

We are indebted to Mike Taylor and all the Members of Tennessee Chapter C (Tri-City Wings) for their dream and drive to make this very worthwhile charity event happen.

To date (Oct.3, 2009) $1,023,278.79 has been donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital by a lot of caring folks.