GAMA is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. It’s also the acronym of an association of Greek Americans who have a passion for motorcycles and the open road.
Created back in 1996 by John Corasis and his cousin Dino Bisbikis, the Greek American Motorcycle Association (Gama) today boasts a growing membership of more than a hundred bikers. And while the look and sound of them - black t-shirts, black leather vests and jackets and the deafening engine roars of their Harley Davidson motorcycles - might conjure up images of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle club, they’re nothing like them.
Most of the Gama members are middle-aged married men with children and busy careers. They go to church regularly. Two of them are even Greek Orthodox priests. All of them are Greek Americans with a love of biking.
“It all started in Chicago by a bunch of guys who just loved to ride,” Corasis said. “We’ve laid down some rules. It’s not enough just to be of Greek descent. You also have to respect the [safety] rules of the road. If you act like a malakas, then ride down the road on your own!”
Heritage ride
Last week, about 40 of them took part in the first annual Heritage Ride for Hellenic Pride in Chicago, by invitation of the city-based National Hellenic Museum.
“When the museum asked if we could do something, we were more than happy to get involved,” Corasis told the Athens News in a telephone interview on August 3. “We were expecting a much bigger crowd - about several hundred bikers - to take part, but we had rain on the day of the ride.”
The Gama bikers cruised 144km from the Greek museum all the way to the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee and from there to the local Greek Orthodox church in Milwaukee for hamburgers and beer.
According to Corasis, the July 31 ride was one of dozens of fundraising events Gama organisers or member participate in annually. Earlier this year they raised thousands of dollars for needy children. In May, they held their third annual bike blessing - the local Greek priest blessed members and their bikes.
In October, Gama will participate in the 11th annual Doc Mark’s Run for the Kids, a Chicago-based charity motorcycle event to benefit children’s organisations. In December, they will join hundreds in Florida in the annual Bikers 4 Tots charity ride to raise money for needy children.
The Greek American Motorcycle Association (Gama) was a concept started in the mid-1990s by a group of cousins and their close friends. Today, it’s a non-profit organisation that welcomes all bikers of Greek decent who love to ride and give back to the community through philanthropy. Their motto is to ride with honour, respect and integrity.
- For more information: www.greekamericanma.com
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