More than 180 bikers &mdash including a couple who traveled from across the Atlantic &mdash filled the roads of rural Nash County on Saturday
to honor one of the area’s more notable entrepreneurs and raise money for local education. The second annual Jack Laughery Ride for Knowledge raised money for the Helen and Jack Laughery Honorary Scholarship Fund at Nash Community College. Motorcycle enthusiasts from all over Eastern North Carolina lined up at Rocky Mount Harley-Davidson for the 30-mile tribute to the late Jack Laughery, the former CEO and chairman of the Hardee’s restaurant chain. The event also united Laughery friends and family from as far away as Wyoming and England. “This means a lot to me,” Laughery’s wife, Helen Laughery, said. “My husband was a real believer that education was the answer to almost every challenge facing our part of the state and worked his entire career to promote education in this area.” Jack Laughery also had a passion for riding his bike, his wife said. His son-in-law, Chris McAuley, led the parade riding Jack Laughery’s own motorcycle, a 1999 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide. Bruce Egan traveled from Jackson Hole, Wyo., to take part in the charitable ride, he said, mostly because of his deep respect for Laughery and his family. “He was one of the best guys I ever knew,” Egan said. “He just was honest, friendly and terribly respectful for someone who was so successful. He was just a good ole’ boy on a motorcycle.”
The Helen and Jack Laughery Honorary Scholarship was established at Nash Community College to recognize the Laugherys’ philanthropic endeavors and outstanding leadership for the betterment of the Nash-Rocky Mount area. The fund provides annual scholarships to help deserving nontraditional students who return to college to enhance their marketable job skills.