I believe we were all looking forward to 2021 and getting past the COVID funk of 2020. Well... not so fast.

 

At the time of this writing, Indiana is having a surge worthy of national attention, the presidential election is still being “contested”, and control of the U.S. Senate has not yet been determined. What exactly will happen with regard to guidelines and restrictions related to the pandemic, is anybody’s guess.

 

The Indiana Motorcycle and Powersports Expo has been cancelled for 2012, along with the Indianapolis Boat Sport and Travel Show and countless other events. We still plan to open registration for rider courses on Friday February 19, 2021.

 

The good news is, we learned a lot from last year’s experiences in dealing with the coronavirus and the subsequent procedures and adjustments necessary. We refined the process throughout last season and are already busy with some enhancements for the 2021 season. 

 

Unless we find ourselves in a full-fledged “lockdown”, which as stated previously is anybody’s guess, we certainly expect to be able to conduct rider courses starting in March and April.

 

The bad news, is that we’ve lost our Indianapolis training site. The old airport served us well for the last seven years. Unfortunately, for us, redevelopment has really accelerated in that area. 

 

Historically, about every year, we have an uncertain location for one of our sites. When you are a not-for-profit organization with limited funding, providing a community service, this is just part of what has to be dealt with. 

 

Although nerve-racking, we were always confident that we’d land on our feet, and in almost all cases, we did. In 2015, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles restructured the system for rider education providers. Regrettably, this opened the door to commercial, for profit entities and created “competition” for the limited rider education resources (facilities, personnel, etc...). While the task of securing a “new” facility has always been a challenge, it has become even more difficult in the last six years. 

 

Here’s how you can help. If you, or someone you know, has control of a piece of property in central Indiana that we could use, please contact us immediately. 

 

A single range allows us to train 12 students (one class) at a time. In larger cities, we’ve often had sites with multiple ranges (as many as four). One range requires a hard surface of 160’ by 260’. Ideally, this area is a lighted, secure parking lot, that is free of obstructions. Put us in touch with the property owner and we can explain all the details. 

 

Time is of the essence, as we traditionally begin classes in Indianapolis in early April and registration should begin in February.  

 

We desperately need your help and support so that we may continue to offer this invaluable, life-saving, community service, as we have to more than 140,000 riders over the last 40 years.

 

Ride Safe,

Ride Free,

 

Jay Jackson 

 

HELP! We also need a home for our northern Indiana site around South Bend or Elkhart and continue to search for a location in the Lafayette area.