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The Smoky Mountain Crew, a chapter of the Iron Order motorcycle club, visited the Life Care Center nursing home in Morristown to both lift the spirits of residents and show support for their living community.

Residents of Life Care were given a pleasant surprise as motorcyclists arrived at the facility at 6 p.m. Saturday evening and carried snacks and materials for live entertainment up to the double doors.

Nurses and aides brought immobile patients out of their rooms to see what all of the commotion was about, and found scores of leather-clad men and women sporting ice cream bars and other delicacies – one bearded individual even strumming a guitar. This member sang several verses of live music to an audience of two-dozen or so residents who were able to sit in the recreation room and enjoy the company.

In addition to entertainment and snacks, the residents were able to view the motorcycles outside in the lot while also socializing with the guests and getting fresh air. One resident, Martha Parlay, declared that she was going to ride off into the sunset with a man whose road name, assigned to bikers during the initiation phase of their club membership, is Oops.

Oops’ legal first name is Ralph, to which Parlay declared, “Ralph is a great name, I generally like Ralphs.”

It was banter and general connection like this that transpired between both bikers and residents at the nursing home which made for a lighthearted atmosphere.

However, not every part of the event was about happiness and laughter. With tears in her eyes, a crew member by the name of Lauren Harper, road name SugBear, lamented that having a loved one who requires care at all hours of the day hit close to home for her but it that it made this event all the more meaningful to the group.

“We just wanted to do something, you know, for those older members of the community who maybe don’t get much recognition or visitors in their day-to-day lives here,” said the vice president of the Smoky Mountain crew, a Marine Corps veteran who goes by the name Hillbilly.

Hillbilly also explained that the biggest reason for the event was that during an extended stay at a nursing home, some members are unable to leave their rooms and become particularly forlorn. It was for these individuals that several of the bikers grabbed snacks and went room-to-room in search of residents needing conversation, companionship, and a little treat.

In the past, the Iron Order motorcycle club has engaged in similar rides and causes for charity to include a Disabled Veterans breakfast, raising $2,000 for a local murder victim’s family, and donated more than $7,000 to Ballad Health Care Cancer Center’s Norton Site in 2021.

The group prides itself on abiding by their strict code of morals and ethics, as well as honoring their communities. The Smoky Mountain chapter specifically was established in 2011 in the Knoxville area and has been engaging with the community in charitable ways for 12 years. They have participants from all sorts of prior and current professions which include but are not limited to: veterans, active duty military, businesspeople and police.