This week's someone 2 know, Michelle “Shelly” Robinson moved to Washoe County 26 years ago and after getting life-saving help and support from a local group, devoted her life to helping others.
Shelly graciously invites us to her home, where she and her husband’s beautifully polished bikes are parked outside. Motorcycles mean a lot to Shelly Robinson; and not just because she's a proud member of Iron Nation MC.
"When my son was six, he was diagnosed with leukemia - and that kinda was the catalyst for really involving myself with the biker clubs," said Shelly.
The local biker community became family when Robinson was struggling to help her young son Kaylan survive.
"It was friends who would drive to Oakland, just so I could get out of the hospital room."
Plus, the group of riders, that in 2004 officially became Iron Nation Motorcycle Club, helped raise the much needed money for all the expenses.
“We started “Kaylan's Run’ - which was a motorcycle poker run."
That fundraiser kept going for ten years, helping other families facing the same crisis. Kaylan is now 27, strong and healthy, and mom's focus has shifted gears with Iron Nation.
"We have been doing our Never Forget 9-11 event, this will be our 19th year - and we've always supported the veterans in our community."
Veterans like her own dad, Rick Faulkner, who served in Vietnam. Shelly calls him her hero. The two had a life-changing experience last year with Honor Flight Nevada.
Rick, proudly wearing his red Honor Flight t-shirt, is visibly moved in the re-telling of just one of the special moments; "We landed in Baltimore there probably was three to five hundred people, standing there, clapping."
Shelly and Iron Nation MC were already supporting Honor Flight Nevada with donations - and after the trip to the war memorials in Washington DC, Shelly joined the board of Honor Flight Nevada as secretary.
"My dad never proudly wore that Vietnam hat until he went on Honor Flight,” Robinson says with a lump in her throat.
Robinson also takes time to ride, while holding down a full time job with Washoe County School District - and is always looking for ways to give back to that which she is most passionate about;
“That's my community, my family, my club - and our veterans."
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Iron Nation's “Never Forget 9/11” annual event is usually a memorial ride with more than 400 participants. This year, because of COVID restrictions, the group will be doing things a little differently.
This Saturday’s (9/12/2020) event will be a private ceremony. In lieu of the usual fundraiser, this year a Go Fund Me page is set up to raise money for Honor Flight Nevada. Link here -
https://www.gofundme.com/f/never-forget-september-11
To reach out to Iron Nation MC, links here -
https://www.facebook.com/Iron-Nation-MC-294492257276851
To learn more about Honor Flight Nevada, and ways to support the organization, links here –
