MOOSEHEART, IL - That roar that accompanies the start of the ride through Mooseheart's campus at the start of the annual Blessing of the Bikes gets louder and louder each year.

But also every year, through the rumble of motorcycle engines, there are those quiet moments. Oswego native Matt Schenden was one of the record-breaking 401 who attended this year's bike blessing, and passed along his thoughts in an e-mail following the May 16 event.

"I think it is great that your organization can help kids like that," Schenden wrote. "It made me feel proud to be a small part of it. I got a tear at the Blessing of the Bikes. You can guarantee that this day changed me for life and I would like to be a more charitable person in the future."

In its sixth year, the Blessing of the Bikes has gotten progressively larger each May. A total of 312 motorcycles registered for this year's event, a huge increase from 174 in 2008. The 401 total attendees represented a jump from 245 a year ago. Although the majority of the riders are members of the Moose fraternity, some, like Schenden, were just people willing to support a charitable venture in the event -- which is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

"It was a success," Moose International Assistant Director of Fraternal Programs Chris Ecker said. "It's grown again. If we grow any bigger, we're going to have to find another parking lot."

Those bikers also raised an unprecedented $7,300 for the twin beneficiaries of the day's activities: Moose Charities and Special Olympics.

"Our mission is to raise money for Mooseheart and to raise awareness of Mooseheart," Ecker said In addition, Moose Riders from Dorr, MI Lodge 2541 presented Mooseheart Executive Director Scott Hart with a check for $7,300, money that will be spent for refurbishment of Michigan Home and events planned for the boys who live in that residence.

Florida's Moose Riders worked with the riders from St. Charles, IL Lodge 1368 to ensure that each of Mooseheart's graduating Class of 2009 has a laptop computer, while South Carolina's Moose Riders made sure each of those laptops is accompanied by a printer.

One of the features of Mooseheart's Blessing of the Bikes is its ability to attract riders from all over the Moose fraternity. In addition to strong representation from Midwestern states like Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio, riders traveled far and wide to attend.

Vinnie Jankowski and Erika Buatti were among a four-strong contingent who rode from Connecticut as members of Middletown, CT Lodge 1547 and Chapter 2206.

"We've always heard stories how great this place is, but we wanted to see it first-hand so we can go back and tell people," Jankowski said.

And the campus shone for the Blessing of the Bikes again. Rains that pelted the area late in the week disappeared, and a clear, sunny day with high temperatures in the low 70s greeted the blessing attendees.

"I'm speechless," Buatti said. "It's gorgeous."

The Connecticut riders met the children from New England Home later in the day, and were going to see more of the campus with those middle school and high school boys as their guides.

Jankowski said there was a special feeling to the Mooseheart bike blessing that was different from other similar events he has attended.

"This is our group," Jankowski said. "It's put on by the Moose Riders, so it means a little more than the others."

Mike and Frankie O'Harrow, members of Surfside Beach, SC Lodge 2351 and Chapter 1950 also made a nearly-1,000-mile ride to attend the Mooseheart bike blessing.

"We got hooked up with Carl Mays, the state chairman of the Florida Moose Riders, about a year ago and made the decision to try to come," Mike O'Harrow said. "I'm the chairman of the South Carolina Moose Riders, and I wanted to come to this."

Like the Connecticut riders, the O'Harrows were visiting Mooseheart for the first time.

"It's nice to see what we're working so hard for," Frankie O'Harrow said. "We're meeting some of the kids. I had a group of boys come and sit on the bike, and that was nice."

After gathering at the Mooseheart Fieldhouse, the bikers took a slow ride through the Mooseheart's streets. As has become customary, the children of the Child City came to the sidewalks outside their residence homes and waved as the motorcycles paraded. The actual blessing for a safe riding season took place at the campus' House of God and was delivered by Mooseheart senior Randy Martin.

The motorcycles then went on a ride through the roads west of the campus and finished at Zylstra Harley-Davidson in St. Charles for a hog roast and more revelry.

Thoughts now turn from this year's event and to what heights it might reach in the future.  "It's still building," Ecker said. "I think we still have plenty of room to grow."

Ecker said one possibility in future years is to have a number of local bike blessing events on the same day as the Mooseheart event, with all proceeds benefiting the chosen charities.

"I think that having a unified Mooseheart event for riders across the country could happen easily," Ecker said. "People might just be out riding by themselves on that day."

May Events at Mooseheart

• May 20: Mooseheart Honors and Awards Program, Fieldhouse, 9:30 a.m.
  
  
• May 22: Mooseheart Fifth Grade Promotion, Sheraton Hotel Ballroom, 301 E. North Water St., Chicago, 2 p.m.
  
  
• May 22-27: 2009 International Convention, Loyal Order of Moose and Women of the Moose, Chicago.
  
  
• May 23: Mooseheart High School Graduation, at Fieldhouse, 9 a.m., followed by conferral of the College of Regents Degree of the Women of the Moose, 11 a.m. at the Fieldhouse, and conferral of the Pilgrim Degree of the Loyal Order of Moose, noon at the House of God.

Mooseheart Child City & School is a 1,000-acre community and school for children and teens in need of a secure home, located just south of Batavia, IL, between Illinois Route 31 and Randall Road.

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,800 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Bermuda. Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1.

Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.

Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 230 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a fully functioning branch of Fifth Third Bank.

In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville, FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.mooseintl.org, www.mooseheart.org, www.moosehaven.org, or call 630-966-2229.