Click to view the flyer for the The Rolling Hug.

The Rolling Hug started in California by Pete Friedkin in his wife’s memory. The hug was sent to me for reasons you’ll read in the flyer, and I am now passing it on to other bikers in Debbie’s name to share her legacy of love. I hope that eventually the hug will return to Pete after being passed through hundreds of fellow bikers. And hopefully some donations will be made to fight brain cancer.

The “HUGGER’S HALL”
(when, who, home town, where hugged)
If you’ve been hugged, send us your info and hug pic to be included in the “Hugger’s Hall”! And don’t forget to print a flyer to pass it on!

10/2007 Pete Friedkin (Laguna Niguel), original hugger in San Diego

10/2007 Glen “Ben Dare” (Las Vegas), hugged in San Diego, rode from Vegas, NV, to Pecos, TX, to deliver the hug!
10/2007 Chris “Gonzo” (Plano, TX), hugged in Pecos, TX, 940 mi. round trip!

5/24/2008 Dawn “EclecticDawn” (Danville, VA), hugged in my driveway by Gonzo - he rode up from Atlanta to deliver the hug!)

5/26/2008 Gonzo hugs Lisa & Tom B. (”Cleo” & “CleoBen” from Montgomery, AL) and Jim Mann at a Cracker Barrel in Tuscaloosa, AL

5/28/2008 Joanne “Sadie” R. (Orange City, FL), hugs Dawn in Danville, VA

5/29/08 Denise P (Kernersville, NC), hugs Dawn in Danville, VA
(no photo)
6/3/08 Joanne “Sadie” R. (Orange City, FL) does a group hug in Middlebury, VT, on the way to Americade. Right to left: Billy, Paul, Greg, Tracy, Kim, Michelle; in front: Joanne, her sis-in-law Kathy, and Jo’s brother Dave. The “hugged” are from Chicopee, Springfield, MA.

6/20/08 Dawn hugs Glen “Ben Dare” (Las Vegas, NV) in Danville, VA, to send the hug back to Pete in CA!!

6/22/08 Dawn hugs Frank after she tells him the story of the Rolling Hug in Winston-Salem, NC. Turns out Frank rode in the Ride for Kids last year!

6/27/08 Though I hugged Dad multiple times on his trip to Danville, VA, from WI, I claim Roanoke as our official hug location.

6/27/08Dawn hugs VTXRob in Roanoke when we meet him for dinner at El Rodeo restaurant.

Will you be next?

7 Comments to “The Rolling Hug “HUGGERS HALL””

1. Tom (kato) Majors — May 29, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
   

   I’m sure I will see Chris ( Gonzo) sometime this summer, or maybe even Glen. I will gladly give a hug to whomever to pass along to Pete. Thanks Dawn for starting this.

2. Dawn Schmidt Ventimiglia — May 29, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
   

   Hi, Kato, thanks for stopping by! Be sure to print a Hug flyer so that after you get a hug from Chris you can pass it on. And if you happen to pass it back to Pete, that would be wonderful, but it doesn’t end with Pete! We want to spread the Rolling Hug all over the place, so keep huggin’! :)

3. Tom & Lisa Bragg — May 31, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
   

   Memorial Day 2008, Gonzo passed along a hug to CleoBen, Cleo, and JimMann. I’m seeing this hug multiplying…
   The Hug Pic

4. Joanne aka Sadie :) — June 15, 2008 @ 8:49 pm
   

   I was able to pass on the hugs and also left a flyer at the ranch during americade on the info board and there was alot of stuff there. I hope that the hugs find their way back to Pete

5. Dawn Schmidt Ventimiglia — June 15, 2008 @ 10:01 pm
   

   I am so thrilled that the hug is multiplying! Thanks for sharing your story with us, Jo!

6. Pete — September 24, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
   

   So I’m in Cleveland on a business trip (how exciting) and spoke with Sarah. She’s having a great time as a freshman in San Francisco. It’s a good city for her. Anyway… she came out of left field with “why didn’t you tell me about the rolling hug?” It seems that she was thinking of her mom and googled her name. Up came a word document from your blog that I hadn’t seen.

   I just looked it up myself. I’m writing this with a big smile on my face and tears in my eyes. You are wonderful. One of these days I’ll be able to take the time to hope on the VTX, ride it cross country just to deliver a hug personally and ride with you and John.

   Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

   Sarah will be home for a week on Thanksgiving and we’re planning some rides. She misses Mermie.

   Pete

7. Dawn Schmidt Ventimiglia — September 24, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
   

   Pete, it’s so great to hear from you! I’m quite glad that Sarah “found” the Hugger’s Hall on her own, as it was probably just what she needed to see at the moment she was searching for Deb. :)

   I can imagine how exciting San Francisco is to a freshman in college…I wish Sarah all the success that her studies can bring!

   You are so very welcome, and I’m glad you smiled when you saw these pics. I’m still passing out hugs, but don’t always have my camera with me, or in the moment of telling the hug story, I totally forget to have someone snap a shot of the hug!

   One of these days we will meet in person, we will ride, and we will hug! :)

   Peace and love,
   Dawn

Write a comment