Luso M Riders
| Founding Date | May 9, 2019 |
PHILANTHROPY IN MOTION
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Founded just before the Covid-19 pandemic shut the world down, Luso M Riders is a Portuguese community organization that has worked relentlessly to change the perception shared by the general population toward motorbike clubs. The non-profit association has accomplished such feat by getting involved in initiatives of solidarity and by raising tens of thousands of dollars for different causes that have negatively affected community members. These are the good riders.
Filipe Francisco, who is the inaugural and current president of the organization, started the movement after participating in the Friday the 13th event, in Port Dover, with other Luso-Canadian bikers. On May 9, 2019, he officially founded Luso M Riders along with Nelson Gaspar (aka Gato), Nuno Pedrosa, Nuno Sousa, José Lopes, Fernando Mendes, and Joaquim Soares. Since then, more than 150 paying members have joined the association and a few hundred more have participated in dozens of rides through the streets of Ontario, always with a fundraising goal toward a worthy cause.
“Friday the 13th is one of the largest biking events in Canada. It started in the seventies, in Port Dover. I began attending in 2004. Rain or shine, if I don’t bike there, I drive my truck,” Filipe Francisco began by telling us. “There are many other riders from the community who also attend and we have always made small groups to ride back home together. Then, we formed a group of seven of us to ride there and back. We named it Luso M Riders – Luso Moto Riders. I never imagined we’d grow this fast, even with covid. I’ve been in Canada for 32 years and I never imagined we had so many riders in the community,” he said.
The not-for-profit organization grew substantially in its first year. It also began to raise funds for little Eva, a Luso-Canadian infant who required a major surgery that cost nearly three million dollars. “At Christmas time, with all that cold, we all dressed as Santa Claus and rode our bikes to different community business asking for donations. That’s when we had the idea of helping out. We participate in Movember and we were the first group to ride motorbikes at the Luso Charity fundraising event. We helped a young man who lost a leg, we also donated to a family that lost their house in a fire and a to person who had cancer, and we organize our yearly Christmas event,” Filipe Francisco informed to then confess: “I just wish we could help more.”
The Toy Drive initiative, which starts months before Christmas, has become one of the most relevant fundraising events of the association. Members and friends ride and accept new toys from businesses and individuals that are then distributed to disadvantaged children and youth. Various community businesses and individuals contribute to this cause, which is growing every year.
The clubhouse, which is in a central location to the Portuguese community, was opened shortly after the founding of the organization. Here, directors take turns manning the social club, and members and supporters visit weekly to socialize. “We have ten directors, and nobody makes a salary. Only the cleaning lady gets paid. The clubhouse is not as big as we would like, but it is the right size at this point. We would love to have a private unit where we could also store the members’ bikes. I wish people knew how much we care about helping others. The Portuguese community has helped promote us as exemplary riders. I think that, after three years, we have been able to accomplish that,” Filipe Francisco declared.
From a mere seven members, Luso M Riders has grown into a respectable and sizeable group not only in the Portuguese community but also in the Toronto biker scene. Currently, it boasts over 150 paying members, which includes the actor and comedian Fernando Rocha, who was recently named the organization’s first Honorary Member. Unlike other biker clubs, Luso M Riders’ members do not have to prove themselves to earn their patch, which is included in the original vest as soon as one pays his or her dues. The organization encourages humility and strictly enforces respectful conduct by its members, as Filipe Francisco stated: “We have our bylaws like any other club. If one of our members does not respect the bylaws, we have to act. We always give people a chance because it is human to make mistakes.”
To become a member of Luso M Riders, one does not have to own a bike, although the full member patch is only provided to those who ride. “Bikes are a passion. You can fall, go to the hospital, get stitched up, then you get home and you’re ready to ride again. We’re not crazy. It’s a passion. Bikes are like football, or golf, or hockey. There are many of our members who do not own bikes and who are more passionate about motorbikes than some who own one, but maybe they cannot afford a bike or are afraid to fall. If you do not have a bike, you can ride in your car,” Filipe Francisco informed.
Although traditionally men are the riders, recently more women have been engaging in the activity, a phenomenon that is not alien to Luso M Riders. Currently, it boasts over a dozen women who ride their bikes and many others who accompany their partners. The interest is such that it has provoked Filipe Francisco and his Board to consider opening a chapter for women.
One can often observe members of other local moto clubs at Luso M Riders’ headquarters. In fact, the organization maintains a great relationship with its counterparts, especially those from the Portuguese community. This has prompted Filipe Francisco to begin talks with other biker associations to study the possibility of uniting to organize events together, a move that would centralize the Luso-Canadian motorbike movement.
The tremendous growth and success of Luso M Riders is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the organization’s Board and its members, but it also stems from a change in perception that Filipe Francisco and his partners have been able to accomplish through their philanthropic initiatives. Although the organization has donated tens of thousands of dollars to various causes, the dream is to do much more. “I would love for us to have a large pavilion, mortgage free, and give to the different senior homes in the Portuguese community. We want to help others. We live in a very rich country, but unfortunately, we still have a lot of poor people. There are people who count their pennies every month. We would love to be able to help those people when they encounter a difficult situation,” Filipe Francisco stated.
Luso M Riders is part of a recent movement that intends to change the perception of the general public toward motorbike clubs. These are the good riders, the ones who tour the streets while engaging in charitable initiatives. These riders are a true example of community, and they are part of ours!
| Note: all images from Luso M Riders’ Facebook page |
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