? t Photos courtesy of Bennie Swepson
Bennie Swepson, known as "Bennie the Rider" has owned 19 different motorcycles since
1944. '
y Riding into
the Sunset
BY FELECIA P. MCMILLAN, PH. D.
THE CHRONICLE
His name is Bennie Swepson.
but he is affectionately known as
?"Bennie- the Rider" around the
Triad. A native of Winstori
' Salem, he hjs also Ijved in New
'York, Washirfgton, D.C., and
Detroit. Now 79. Swepson has
decided to hang up his riding gear
' and reflect on the memories.
Since 1944, he has owned 19.
different motorcycles. He used
'them to travel to various rallies
'and trips. His love of motorcy
cling has been a
major pan or nis
'life. He rode his
"bike each day. His
wife. Amy, is glad to
hear" that he is con
sidering retirement
from biking.
"Sixty years is a.
' long time to do any
thing," said Amy
Swepson.
Bennie Swepson
learned how to ride
a motorcycle when
he was working in
Washington, D.C.,
. , as a jnessenger for the Postal Ser
vrce. Riding the motorcycle was
: a part of his job, but this task was
: no chore for Swepson. He served
; in the U.S. Navy during World
? War II as sergeant major first
; Class. ?
j ' * *T immediately fell in love
; with the motorcycle. Jt is the love
\ of my life," he said. "When I am
} on my motorcycle, I feel good. I
' feel free. If the motor is running
? good, and I'm riding good, I feel
\ free. I think libout God all the
| time when I'm on my bike. It's"1
? just me, the wind and God."
.1 Swepson enjoys- listening to
\ music as he eases on down the
; line. He sings and listens to his
? eight-track system and responds
to his CB radio and tape deck* He
I loves to listen to gospel music.
[ His "handle" is "Bennie the
? Ridef," of course. (
i Swepson has oXvoed rtine
| Harley-Davidsons, two Indians.
Swepson
' Bennie the Rider'
retires his wheels
after 60 years
five GoldWings and two 750s.
He currently owns a red . and
maroon "1 5(X)_ GoldWing. , Alf of>
his bikes have' beerr of different
colors.
? Bennie the Rider was a mem
ber of the Central Carolina Riders
Motorcycle Club in the 1960s
and 1970s. He retired from R.J.
I OQQ
He is currently a
member of the Orig
inal 12* out ' of
Greensboro. ' """
He recentjy
donated 100 of his
trophies, to the
Greensboro Club.
He still has several
plaques and large
trbphifs- in- his den i
that designate his.
first-place prizes _at
various rallies for
stunts and for being
the oldest rider among the
cyclists.
He received three trophies
from the New Ladies, Too Ride
Motorcycle Club' in Greensboro.
He won first place as the, oldest
rider in 1998. 2000 and 2lX)2.
Swepson has participated in
varifius contests in .which he per
formed such stunts as the plahk
ride, the slow ride or the fast ride.
The fastest that he has gone on ,
his bike is around 1 1 5 mph.
- "I wasn't racing ijnybody at
the time. I'wa* just rolling on the.
roaiM had no feat It was just
something to do to make riding
"more enjoyable." said Swepson.
? Robert Duckett, currently a
member of the CC Riders, knows
the reputation of this veteran of,,
the Highway. . , '
"Bennie the Rider needs no ?
explanation. Everybody has seen
him. Everybody knows him,"
said Duckett.
, Swepson is known for his
various stunts. He often rides
sideways, backward and even
standing up.
"I made these stunts up. It
was just a way to keep the fun in
(it)." - '
Now that times have
changed, his interest in riding has
waned.
"Riding yas once a lot of fun,
but it is not fun now, not like it
used to be. We would just ndj_to
different places, turn arounaand
come back. Our wife or girlfriend
would fix a box of food. We
whuld take our drinks, our beer
or other beverages and put them
on.ice," said Swepson. f
* "We would take off on Satur
day and come bacH on Sunday.
We might go to Reidsville,
Greensboro, High Point, Mar
tinsville or. Thomasrffle. Back
then, it didn't matter what kind of
bike you rode. Now you have to.
ride a certain brand of motorcycle
to be accepted."
"I moved back to Winston
Salem in 1 96 1 from New York. I
would go to the bike rally in D.C.
every year. Riders would stop
and help one another on the road
if they needed help. Today, we .
-can't do that," said Swepson.
"You might get killed if you stop
and help somebody today. The
world is-.just turned upside down.
The last time, God sent his Son to
straighten things out. This time, 1
think God is gonna have to come
down himself."
Swepson's advice to new-rid- <
ers is: '.'Drive safely. Riding a
motorcycle is like driving a, car.
You have to watch out for the
other man as well as for yourself.
People often ignore motorcycles,
on' the road. They claim they
don't see motorcycles. You Can't "
play with traffic out there."
In order to be safe, Bennie'fhe
Rider rides only when the weath
er permits.
"I avoid rainy weather
because the road is slippeiy when-'
it i? wet. Motorcyclists have to be
concamed just like, car drivers."
Sweps6n said. . .
Robinson, Joines send
troops in Iraq popcorn
CHRONIC! I STAPF REPORT
Troops serving in Iraq received $2,000 worth of popcorn
care of Mayor Allen Joines and City Council member Vernon*
Robinson. Several boxes of imymvavc butter popcorn were
pulthesed from Cub Scout*s?*747 and sent to a jinirsta-"
tioned in the Middle East.
. "We just felt like it was a neat way of doing two things -
supporting the troopva little bit during the holiday season and
also help that Cub Scout pack in trying to raise sorpe money."
said Joines.
Cub Scout Pack 747 is -affiliated with Wesley Memorial
United Methodist Church.
Patrick Kelly, who is the Cub Scout pack master, says the
money raised will benefit some <)f the 30 t^ubs who can't
afford to pay for all of the dues, camp fees, uniforms and field
trips.
"We have a lot of kids in our pack who have single
moms." said Kelly. "Our pack put a little over $3,000 in the '
bank. We do a trip in the spring usually to some historical site,
arid this will help defray some of the cost."
The Cubs, he says, were exched that the popcorn was sent
ty men and women stationed in Iraq. Jhe popcorn they'll
Mceive. he says, is their biggest seller and it can be ordered
year-round. .
"We just thought that was gre;it . Everybody' wins. The
pack makes some money, and the^fact that it was going Jo the-1
troops really-thrilled (the Cubs)." said Kelly. "It wis very gen
erous of the mayor anrf Vernon (Robinson) to do this... .It h?lps
nut the troops over there and th<? little Cubbies over here."
Fik ttwio
Council member Vernon Robinton
News
Clips
^ontptled trivn slaft wire and
submitted reports
ACC history class to be
offered at Forsyth Tech
?
Forsyth Technical Com
munity ColMge has ai^oppor
tunity, for ACC fans to learn
about the History of the
Atlantic
t oasl
Confer
e n c e .
The col
lege is
offering
a class.
History
'of ACC
Basket
ball.
Davis Jan. 24
* through
March 14 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The class will be held in the
auditorium at Forsyth Tech's
West Campus, located at 1 300
Bolton Street.
The cost of the class is
'$75. Barry Lawing, author of
"Demon Deacon Hoops" and
a Forsyth Tech American his
tory and Western civilization 1
instructor, will teach the tlaSs.
Scheduled speakers
jnctude former- ACC players'
and coaches Skip Brown,
Tommy Burieson, Charlie,
Davis, Bill Guthridge and
Carl Tacy.
To register for the History
ACC Basketball class, call
1-1002.
? Forsyth County
Progressive Democrats %
The Forsyth County Pro
gressive pemocrats will com
plete their precinct organiza
tion plans at their next meet
ing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednes
day. Jan. 12, at the Hanes Mall
Golden Corral. All are wel
come. People are also invited
to join with the group for sup1 ?
per at 7 p.m.
Students, parents can
explore financial-aid
^options at workshops
Students aaiNparenis c^n
explore financial-aid and .
scholarship tor col
lect during (wo workshops
offered by ' Winston
Saletrt/Forsyth County
Schools.
Workshops will be held
Monday. Jan. 10, and Thurs
day, Jan. 20. Both will begin
at 7 p.m. and will be held in
the school district's Adiujnis
trative Office Center auditori
um. 1605 Miller Street in
Winston-Salem.
Parents and students are
encouraged to attend one of
[he-workshops. The programs
will cover information about
the financial-aid process,
including the FAFSA and
school and commuifity
resources for scholarships.
Local college and community
financial-aid representatives
, will "be present/^as well as
high school counselors.
For more information, stu
dents can contact their school
guidance -counselor or call
727-2912.
Alums can now join WSSU
association with plastic
The WSSU National Alymni
association recently announced a
new and convenient service for
alumni: They can now pay ment
berships via cfedit/debit card.
The membership form can be
obtained from the alumni Web
site at www.wssu.edu/alumml
(WSSU National Alumni Associ
ation - Membership Application)
or the Alumni Office. Once com
pleted, the form can then be
faxed to the Alumni Office at
(336)750-3134.
Some benefits of member
ship in the Alumni Association
include networking opportuni
ties with other alumni, quarterly
issues of The Battering Ram
(official newsletter), discounts on
school piaiphernalia at the
. WSSU Boolotore, and discounts
on alumni paraphernalia.
Regular membership dues
are $50 year. Life memberships
are $800 (payable $200 per year
for four consecutive years).
Membership in the National
Alumni Association helps sup- '
port student scholarships and
provides operating expenses for
the association. All alumni of
WSSU are invited to join the
National Alumni Association as a
show of support ^nd (Jommit
ment to their alma mater
Retired school personnel lo
meet
^ The Winstonlsalem/Forsyth
County Unit of toe N.C. Retired
School Personnel will meet on
Wednesday, Jan. 12. "at its usual
place. ? _
Membership fees may be
sent to Dr. Raymond Sarbai^h or
paid at the meeting. Reservations
for the meal are due one week
before the meeting by contacting
Dorothy H. Vernon. The deadline
for reporting volunteer hours for
the year 2001 is set for Jan. 12,
2005 (meeting time).
Robert R. Severs is president
of the unit, and Mary Jo Brewer
is the secretary.'". 1
Legal Aid gets funding for
immigrant outreach
The Legal Aid Society of
Northwest Nyrth Carolina was
recently awarded $35,000 from
the Z. Smitfl Reynolds Founda
tion 'to
ussisi in
sustain
ing and
expand
ing if*
Immi
grant
Outreach
Project in
Davie,
Forsyth.
Guilford.
I rede 1 1
L. I
Gottsegen
Stokes. Surry and Yadkin coun
ties. The project provides free
legal aisistance to low-income
immigrants in a wide range of
civil matters, including con
sumer. housing, employment and
family lay casein?
Su-v<n Gottsegen is the exec
utive director of the 1-egal Aid
Society and manages the Immi
grant Outreach Project. She said:
"While many low-income fami
lies have difficulty securing and
keeping decent housing, and are
often the victims of consumer
fraud, domestic violence and
employment exploitation, these
problems are exacerbated for
immigrants.
"The language barrier, cultur
al differences and a lack of
understanding of their rights and
responsibilities can make immi
grants quite vulnerable. This pro
gram seeks to reduce exploitation ?
thrpugh community education ?
and legal representation."
New and Powerful Benefits
for Medicare Recipients
Generic Prescription Drug Benefit
$15 copay with no annual limit
( 2U Outpatient Surgery
. - 1 00% covered
Inpatient Hospitalization
? $2^0 copay per admission j
$34 Monthly Plan Premium
Come get td know us! '
PARTNERS offers a free no-obligation meeting where a
Sales Representative will provide details cif our}>lan
and answer your questions. ' .
Wednesday, January 12, lU60_g.ni.
Golden Corral ?.' ?
1 80 Hanes Mall Circle; Winston Salem
(1-40 to Stratford Road to Hanes Mall)
Thursday, January 1 2, 3:3*0 p.m. '
(jplden Corral
4965 University Parkvv"ay, Wtnston Salem
(Silas Creek Pkwy to University Pkwy)
6 L ? r
For accommodation of persons with special needs
at sales meetings, or for more information, call
1-800-328-9875 or TDD/TTY at 1-888-451-9957
8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.
partners;
Bring this coupon 'tp the sales meeting listed
above and receive a free gift, compliments of
PARTNERS Medicare Choice. Please fill out
the information beloW: - ' <
Name ? _ - ? '
/
Address 1
City ? ? ? .. ; ,
State Zip code ? ? - ? r
Do you have Medicare'?, ~T Yes .'O No,
PARTNERS MedicareChoice is
offered by PARTNERS Nationaj
Health Plans of NX. . Inc.. an HMO
w ith a Medicare contract. All qualified
bgpeficiaries may apply. Yqu must be
emitted to'Medicare Part A and
enrolled in Part B and reside in the
CMS-approved service area. Some
limitations and restrictions may apply. '
CMS.4002 1005-1 1 04
-V ^