Before you contemplate the pictures above lets flash-back to Friday 13th, 1984, when Chris Simons, a local biker, and a few of his buddies met in the “ZOO,” a local watering hole, to shoot the breeze and have a few cold ones. They agreed to meet every Fri. 13th and pass the idea on to friends. And so it began.
Many local people, including the Municipal Council, feared the 1% of potentially violent bikers invading Norfolk County (as opposed to the 99% of peaceful riders), but as it grew into the biggest money making event the Kinsmen had ever seen, the need for some organization became evident.
The word went out to “LEAVE YOUR COLOURS AND ATTITUDES AT HOME,” otherwise the Council threatened to shut it down. The Kinsmen knew the bikers would continue to come and numbers would soar. The Coffin Bike and even Santa Claus were soon regular attendees as well as the Motor Maids (6000 strong nation-wide) and the Christian Riders.
HOG (Harley Owners Group) and BRO (Bikers Rights Organization) were present. By 1999 the OPP reported 12 outlaw biker clubs present in Port Dover, including Satan’s Choice, Hells Angels, Outlaws, Nomads, Para-Dice Riders, Red Devils, Piston Pushers, and even Banditos. Still, no violence erupted and over 100 police were brought in to maintain order.
As word spread Port Dover became THE place to be on Friday The 13th. Bikes were showing up from Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and B.C., as well as Americans from as far away as Florida. Even several Brits put their bike on a ship and came over.
Tim Hortons Drive-Thru soon was a walk-through. Yard Sales were common; seniors sold food to pay for a wheelchair-van. Pop, water and Freezies were sold from many local yards and eateries. Bars and beer gardens struggled to meet the demand in the summer months.
Big name bands were soon playing, like Steppenwolf, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, Dry County, Tragically Hip and local favourites. As the 20th century came to a close over 100,000 people were attending in the summer months.
As crowds swelled to over 150,000 in a town of 4,500, businesses placed “WELCOME BIKERS” signs in their storefronts and traffic backed up to Simcoe in the West and Cayuga in the East. Lodgings were booked-up for a year in advance and campgrounds swelled to full capacity quickly. Some businesses closed for the day like law offices, pharmacies, hardware stores and banks, though they stocked their debit machines full and went to work with the service clubs.
In 2009 The Port Dover Board of Trade, Kinsmen and the Lions partnered to run this massive event. The Kinsmen now handle bookings for 100 vendors in Powell Park and the Harbor Front, and run a 1,200 capacity beer garden. They monitor about 1200 campers in Kinsmen Park and Doverwood School, as well as selling souvenirs, including over 1,000 t-shirts. Shuttles are provided to haul campers to the action downtown.
Over the years the Kinsmen Club recruited many others to help, like Minor Softball and Hockey, Hard ball, Jr. Hockey, Figure Skating, Soccer, Maureen Dodds Art Foundation, Alzheimers, Big Brothers, High School Council (the Port Dover High School was closed a few years ago) Scouts K. of C., and the Harbor Museum. Other Kin Clubs came on board as did “Support our School.” At one point 26 other groups assisted the Kinsmen with everybody getting a share of the pie. It’s well known that bikers come back to visit Port Dover even when it’s not Fri. 13, as can be witnessed on any good weekend throughout the summer. The welcome mat is out so come visit us on Friday, September 13th, 2013 and every Friday the 13th to follow. For the Silo……Yours in Kin: Life Member Dave C.
“I am a strong believer in a plant-based diet for heart health,” said Dr. Shenkman. “Join me at Carnivores Anonymous to learn how a plant-based diet has fueled my athletic success, and why I recommend it for all my patients.”
Turing’s work was instrumental in saving countless lives, millions in goods and merchandise, and is estimated to have shortened the war in Europe by four years.The specifics of Turing’s work at Hut 8 were only recently made available to the public—they were declassified in 2012. Authors Liberge and Delalande use this new information to create a graphic biography that is both scientifically rigorous, moving, and accessible. Story by Eric Liberge Illustrated by Arnaud Delalande Translated by David Homel 
This concern, of course, is not unique and strikes at the heart of something that all those in creative professions fear and must face. The ownership of ideas is difficult to prove. If you tell someone your plan in confidence and they, in turn, use it for their own purposes, there is very little you can do to show that you are the originator. Spreading this rumor is likely to make you look like the bad guy. It’s no wonder that this sort of generosity is cause for concern.
But what about sharing your networks or some trade secrets that helped you get to where you are today? While you may have worked tooth and nail for everything you’ve gained, there were surely people along the way who said yes at the right moment and assisted your progress. No one can ask more than this, and as an artist of a certain standing, there is nothing wrong with offering this sort of help.
No one exists in a vacuum. Even you, who may have scraped and fought your way to where you are today, benefited from the acceptance and help of others. Sure, you may have pounded the pavement endlessly in order to secure your position but that is no reason not to pay forward the success you have achieved. It is too easy to forget, once you have achieved a certain status, the myriad small moments that led you there. While it may seem as though hardly anyone was out to help you in the early days, surely there were some, otherwise you could not be where you are today. Even if it was just a few gallerists who were finally willing to take a chance, there are always rungs of assistance in the ladder to every success, no matter how small.
For these reasons, there is a lot to be said for good old-fashioned face-to-face interaction. Being the sort of artist who is willing to mentor in the real world sets you apart. Establishing this sort of reputation, for being the one who will gladly share the bounty you have created, seldom reverses one’s own success and frequently opens new doors you may never have considered.
Arguably, there is no such thing as original art. Even some of the most contemporary artists’ work is derivative of past creations. Marina Abramovic, in her unique style, has absolutely drawn from (and occasionally been accused of copying) works by other artists. Pablo Picasso (and perhaps more famously, Steve Jobs who quoted him) said, “good artists copy, great artists steal.” This doesn’t mean that you should open yourself up to idea theft, but it does mean that perhaps being stingy with your concepts, your network, your position as an established artist, doesn’t count for as much security as you might think. Be smart about things, but in general, it is always a good idea to reach down the ladder and help those coming up behind you find the next rung. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.
A new study of the dating app Jaumo concludes that superficiality in online dating is just a preconceived prejudice. A survey among North American users shows that the majority of participants do find athleticism attractive but a couple of extra pounds on the hips will not necessarily decrease your chances of finding a date.
