ABATE of SC Press Release: Call for the Closing of Atlantic Bike fest?

Wednesday, 11 Jne !"1# "$:#%

&''ediate Release Jne 1", !"1#
Contacts:
(ennis Wel)orn, State *egislati+e Coordinator
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Chad 6ller, P)lic Relations
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Press Release
ABATE of Soth Carolina has )een concerned a)ot the recent shootings that ha77ened dring the
-#th Annal Atlantic Beach Bike 6esti+al that takes 7lace dring the 8e'orial (ay 3eekend5 We ha+e
al3ays had a strong o77osition to any +iolent acts that are co''itted and contine that stance5 ABATE
is also a3are that these 3here 9:T 'otorcyclists )t yong Soth Carolina adlts that li+ed in other
7arts of the State5 Althogh 3e do 9:T nderstand 3hat cased the' to se +iolence to end 3hate+er
dis7te they had 3e 'st contine to reiterate that these 3ere 9:T 'otorcyclists shooting each other5
ABATE 'e')er ;iolet <=eels> *cas recently attended a 7)lic hearing and this is 3hat she had to
say:
My Name is Violet Heels Lucas, I am a Resident of South Carolina, a Property !ner of
South Carolina, a Motorcyclist of South Carolina and a "ourist of South Carolina, Mayor
Rhodes on #ehalf of Motorcyclist !e empathi$e !ith your concern for the safety of your
residence, ho!e%er you ha%e to include the concern for the safety of your "ourists !hom are
Motorcyclists, Chairman La$arus, on #ehalf of Motorcyclist !e "han& 'ou for the foresi(ht to
form a committee to !or& !ith Mayor )%ans to N" end #i&e fest, Mayor Hatley, in *++,, I
attended and spo&e at se%eral of your City-s meetin( under the direction of Chief .ailey to sa%e
#i&e fest/
0e can all a(ree that the "o!n of 1tlantic .each can N" house 23+,+++ (uests, #ut neither
can the City of North Myrtle .each, the City of Myrtle .each or Horry County, collecti%ely the
4rand Strand is a "ourist 5estination and Motorcyclists are "ourists !ho chose to come to the
4rand Strand/ Collecti%ely each of you need to ensure N" 6ust the safety of your Residents #ut
your Motorcycle "ourists as !ell/
"he 4rand Strand is a "ourist 5estination, 'our "ourists are also Motorcyclists, 'our "ourists
are in%ited (uest, !e !ould N" in%ite (uests to our homes !ithout insurin( that its cleaned,
entertainin( them and settin( rules in !hich !e !ish for them to follo! !hile they are in our
homes/
0e as "ourists, !hom are Motorcyclists are essentially sayin( e7actly !hat you all as elected
officials are sayin(, ho!e%er !e-re N" sayin( them to each other/ Mayor Rhodes, 0e as
"ourists !hom are Motorcyclists ha%e a o%er!helmin( concern a#out the incident that
happened on the .oule%ard, #ut they are N" "ourists or Motorcyclist, those are 85rifters8
!ho come in for the day and create ha%oc, and !e as "ourists !hom are Motorcyclists are
sayin( they are N" 9s, they are N" attached to us NR affiliated !ith us, !e too do N"
!ish for their attendance at .i&e fest/
ABATE of Soth Carolina is a State 8otorcyclists Rights :rgani?ation dedicated to defending the
rights of all 'otorcyclists 3ho choose to ride in the State of Soth Carolina5 ABATE of Soth Carolina
also encorages all 'otorcyclists to register to +ote and )eco'e acti+e 3ithin the 7olitical 7rocess5
ABATE encorages 'otorcyclists to +olntarily o)tain 'otorcycle rider training5 8any 'e')ers of
ABATE are in+ol+ed in a +ariety of charita)le organi?ations and take great 7ride in )eing acti+e
'e')ers of their co''nities5 *earn 'ore a)ot ABATE at 3335a)atesc5co'
:riginal 7ost:
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fest