T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
They tell us where they want to meet and what they want to do during our time together. We have kids that are in a shell. They are scared. We try to make them more comfortable with little games we play with them. Something I started and like to share with other B.A.C.A. members is saying things to them like, ‘Hey you dropped your pocket’ and they look down and laugh and say, ‘you can’t drop your pocket’ and I will reply ‘but I made you look!’ Then I tell them to go see how many people they can get to look. The kids will come back to me laughing and saying, ‘I got 12 people with it, Shaggy!’ We high five! That is when the ice breaks! That is when they start feeling more comfortable with us.” Services B.A.C.A. might provide for the child include driving by the child’s house on the night before the trial and revving up their engines, reminding them they are truly not alone, or escorting the child, along with our Texarkana Police Department to the courthouse and, if the judge allows, even walking in with them and sitting behind them. The family members of the perpetrators will sometimes show up and this can be intimidating for the child. Having this powerful gesture of support builds their confidence and gives them the strength they need to be brave while on the stand. “When we are not busy locally in our chapter,” said Shaggy, “we will see if any of our surrounding chapters need our support. One time I drove 700 miles to meet a child. When they stood me in front of the child to introduce me and asked me how many miles I had driven and I told them, they actually had to stop so the child could go back into the house to take a minute. That child could not believe someone who had not known them a day in their life would drive all that way to meet them. Moments like those are what we call our ‘pork chop moments.’ It is when we are reminded of WHY we do what we do.” And B.A.C.A. members do all of this for free, but the rewards are countless. As the B.A.C.A. mission statement says, “We exist as a body of bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which
they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner. However, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.” B.A.C.A. members do whatever it takes to make abused kids feel safe, which is huge for children who have been hurt, especially by adults who are supposed to love and protect them. They help give them their life back. They are there for them when they are scared and stick around until they are not. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Our local B.A.C.A. chapter has awareness events throughout the year where you can meet some of the members personally and find out ways you can support them, including donations which are always appreciated. If you would like more information, you can visit bacaworld.org, or the local chapter of B.A.C.A. which meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 at the Elks Lodge at 3702 New Boston Road and visitors are welcome. To donate directly to the local Texarkana chapter, call 866-757-7689 or mail checks directly to 2801 Richmond Road, PMB #307, Texarkana, TX 75503.
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C OMM U N I T Y & C U L T U R E
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