History

The American Federation of Riders, Inc. (A.F.R) was originally formed by a small group of motorcyclists in Cheviot, Ohio, to raise money to aid a small girl, who was orphaned by the untimely death of her parents.

In the summer of 1981 old and new friends got together with a common goal in mind, to determine a way to raise money for the young girl. They finally decided to hold a "poker run" to be followed by a party on August 1st. Word was spread  throughout the tri-state of the proposed activities. One member of the group designed the winged wheel with the letters A.F.R. to represent the name of the run "A_____ F_____ Run." (The girls name was hidden at the request of her new parents)

As the event day came close, the A.F.R drew a lot of publicity, both good and bad. The group faced a lot of legal problems as well, and many members took on the personal responsibility for the conduct of the riders traveling through the small towns such as Sunman, Indiana. On the plus side was the emphasis that the event was to benefit an orphaned child.

In the end, the group was able to raise $9,200. With the money, they purchased $7,000 in annuities that the young girl would receive on her 18th birthday. The rest was place in a money market fund that would be easily accessed in the case of an emergency. Besides the good that was done for a young child in need, a brotherhood was formed with the determination to create an organization dedicated to helping children.

In 1982, the group adopted the winged-wheel as the official logo and change A.F.R to "American Federation of Riders". They hired a lawyer to help with all the legal paperwork and became a chartered, non-profit corporation in the state of Ohio. Seven months later the A.F.R became a public funded charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The A.F.R would like to extend an invitation for membership to all motorcycle enthusiasts who are interested in helping the many needy kids in the tri-state area. Stop by one of our meetings, which are open to the public, at 6:00 PM the first and third Sunday of each month at the American Legion Hall, 10700 Campbell Road, Harrison, Ohio, 45030.

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