Credit: Ride for Dime
The Bristol Borough Area Active Adult Center at 301 Wood Street receives very little county funding and is at this point, left to run on the little donations they receive throughout the year. Sunday afternoon, they received a large check from a group of bikers, and because of that, Board of Directors President Edward ‘Butch’ Bomentre said they might just stand a chance at staying open.
On Sunday, April 6 bikers from the Ride for Dime charity held a pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center near Mulberry Street in the historic borough. Adults were charged $8, while children were charged $4. Over 50 pounds of bacon, 8 gallons of milk, and 4 gallons of orange juice were just some of the things donated by area grocers including Acme, Walmart, and Sams Club.
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The turnout remained steady and was attended by all ages and all walks of life. “It’s nice to see seniors and bikers eating breakfast together,” said Damian Gioia of the Ride for Dime Philadelphia Chapter.
The senior center has faced a bleak couple of years and a charity stepping in to help out is all Center Manager Gail Aufsclag could have hoped for. Aufsclag has given more than 30 years of her life to the center and she understands the importance the center serves to the community.
“It’s great for the center that they wanted to come help us,” she said.
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Aufsclag and Bomentre have known each other for over three decades and keeping the centers doors open has become their life calling.
“Anything we can do to keep the center open we will do, we need to remind the public that we are still here,” said Bomentre. “Without us, these people may have nowhere to go and we are not going to allow that.”
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In total the pancake breakfast raised $1400, half of which was donated to the center, and the other half was donated to the Ride for Dime charities.
Ride for Dime Inc, a 501 (c) 3, charitable organization, honors the lives of guitar hero and friends Darrell Abbott, Jeff Thompson, Nathan Bray, and Erin Halk. It helps to raise money for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Little Kids Rock, and many more. Click here for more information about Ride for Dime.
