Leather-vested bikers rode their motorcycles on a seven-mile trek from Pembroke Pines to Pembroke Park to show goodwill for Goodwill Industries of South Florida.
A lot of people are in need right now and can’t afford shopping in the malls for name brands,” said J.R. Onativia of Hollywood, president of the El Coqui Motorcycle Group. If they go to Goodwill it’s like they pay peanuts.” The group’s road captain, Louis Torrella of Miramar, organized the event that put about 45 bikers on the revved-up ride called Donations Under the Sun Run. Torrella, who manages Goodwill Industries staffed donation sites, said that each bike plus a small trailer attached to Onativia’s motorcycle was loaded with items to donate to the new Goodwill Superstore in Pembroke Park. The store, which opened Aug. 6 at the former site of the Jewish Thrift Store, is just west of the Interstate 95 interchange. El Coqui led the pack, which included the Latin American Motorcycle Association and Liberty Motorcycle Association. Together, they snaked from the Fountain Plaza Diner at Sheridan Street and University Drive in Pembroke Pines, south down University Drive, ending up at Hallandale Beach Boulevard. One by one the bikers filled a donation cart with plastic bags packed with new and gently used clothing and shoes.
Eduardo Aljure of Sweetwater, president of the Liberty Motorcycle Association, said the family oriented group simply wanted to help less fortunate people.