Peacemaker and Bravest Bike Maker Honored

Delegates took a break from the business at hand to honor Lynn Jones, owner of Lynnco Custom Cycles who built the Peacemaker, a custom-designed motorcycle in memory of the late Mattie Stepanek, author and former Muscular Dystrophy Association Goodwill Ambassador.

The inspiration for the Peacemaker came when Cleveland, TN Local 3748 fire fighter and Mattie admirer Dennis Carroll communicated the history of Mattie’s bond with fire fighters to his friend, Lynn Jones, who immediately decided to create the unique Peacemaker bike to foster awareness for Mattie’s message and draw support for the MDA Mattie Fund for Research. The Peacemaker motorcycle will be auctioned at the end of 2006.

While working on the Peacemaker, Jones decided to make a series of motorcycles for the IAFF, called The Bravest. This custom motorcycle, designed to reflect fire fighters and the fire fighting profession, will be auctioned for the benefit of the IAFF Burn Foundation. “It isn’t often that a man who has accomplished so much is as generous and giving, but we are blessed that Lynn is, and that he is our friend,” said General President Schaitberger.

Raffle tickets for The Bravest are available by calling the IAFF Burn Foundation at (202) 824-8620. The IAFF will also sell raffle tickets at the Affiliate Leadership Training Summit (ALTS) in Atlanta, Georgia, in November, and at the IAFF 2007 Legislative Conference in March in Washington, DC, where the raffle winner will be drawn.

“It’s a great honor to build this bike for the IAFF and the IAFF Burn Foundation,” Jones told the gathered delegates. “We all have the same mission — to do the best we can do while we’re here.”