Cycle Connection kicked off the riding season and its calendar of MDA events with a fund raising ball.

By the end of the Black and Blue Ball the group had raised more than $45,000 for MDA topping its $28,000 from last year.

“This was an awesome MDA event, good people, wonderful hosts and great band,” said Rob Roozeboom, guest speaker and MDA ambassador.

Roozeboom said he does about six events a year for MDA. He has muscular dystrophy and told the crowd how he deals with it everyday.

He said being a 30-year-old father with MD is difficult, not being able to get up when you fall down and not being able to pull the blanket off of yourself when you wake up in the morning. He told a story about how his son asked if he could ride in his wheelchair with him when he can’t walk anymore. And he told his son he may never have to because there are people out there fighting everyday to make sure he doesn’t end up in a wheelchair.

“Remember what you do today, because tomorrow might be the day they find a cure,” Roozeboom said.

Rex Havens, comedian, also entertained at the ball. And the Chad Emmert Band played, only asking for a Harley Davidson shirt as payment.

“We wouldn’t be anything if it wasn’t for everybody kicking in and all of the sweat and hours of dedication,” said Scott Hudson, one of the owner’s of Cycle Connection. “It blows me away the heart that bikers have. They understand what taking care of each other means. They even take care of people that they don’t know.”

Hudson said it’s easier for him and his wife Nancy Hudson, the other owner of Cycle Connection, because they get to see the kids and hear the ‘I love yous” and the “thank yous.” But they can only pass a small part of that on to the volunteers that give their time and money.

“We get to stand up there and get the applause and things like that but it isn’t anything without the people. It’s a team,” Hudson said. “It’s the whole group of people that puts these things together.”

But some may argue that the MDA telethon and the events leading up to it wouldn’t be the same without the Hudsons’ contributions. This year, they donated a Heritage Softtail Harley, which was won by Randy Pease in a raffle at the ball, and last year they donated the MDA bike.

Both of which raised a considerable amount of money for MDA. Last year the MDA bike raised $17,000 by selling $5 chances to win the bike, which was given away at the telethon. Then, at the telethon, the Fatboy that will be given away at this year’s telethon was rolled out.

“We’ll probably end up donating both of them,” Scott said.

The bikers at the ball also heard the announcement of who will be the riders of honor at this year’s Ride for Life, another MDA fund raiser put on by Cycle Connection.

The winners, though they have never owned a motorcycle, were Nancy Hudson’s parents who sit at the Harley shop day in and day out asking people to buy tickets for the MDA bike.

“They are really dedicated to helping the telethon, helping the Ride for Life, they even stay and help clean up,” Scott said. “If there’s an MDA event they are there for it. And that was the whole idea behind the rider of honor is somebody who stands out above and beyond.”

The two are so involved in the MDA that about 45 children with MD call them grandpa and grandma because they see them so much.

But this was just the first event. Cycle Connection will also put on the Ride for Life and host the MDA telethon again this year.