DAWN HAZEL – LIFE MEMBER AND RACE MOM

This month I would like to spot light one of our long standing members, Dawn Hazel. Dawn is mother of Brandi, Bryan and Brad Hazel and wife of Kevin Hazel. Both boys are active racers and Brandi is also a member and one of the scorers for the Club. Kevin is the current Club President. Dawn is a registered nurse by trade and works for the ARC of Orleans County and often spends her off nights and weekends filling in at Brockport’s Lakeside Hospital in the OB-GYN department. Her parents, Deloris and Leon Standish, have been club members since the early 60’s,  and are also life-time members and still very active.

Dawn’s main duties consist of recording secretary and on race day she works sign-in, handles rider awards and is one of the main scorers. Dawn also pitches in when needed getting things ready for the upcoming races like counting and organizing trophies, doing set up and whatever needs to be done. On top of all of this, she also travels with the family hitting the GNC race circuit getting things ready for the long trips all over the country, keeping times on her two boys, helping whenever and wherever her duties call for it. The most amazing thing about her is she has dealt with MS for the last ten years and until recently has kept the diagnosis out of the spotlight. Dawn has not advertised her illness and most days functions well and shows no symptoms. For those of us who know this amazing woman, she runs circles around most of us. For those of you who were not there for the MS fundraiser she organized on July 13^th, she was able to raise $3,058.00 for the MS Society. This amount exceeded her goal and we were so proud and happy to assist her in this successful endeavor. Here is an excerpt from her speech she gave Sunday on the hill.

“For those of you who don’t know me, I am Dawn Hazel. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with MS so I have a special interest in this cause.  I also have an uncle with MS that is wheelchair bound and in the nursing home. So I feel very fortunate that I can still get on a motorcycle. Niagara and Orleans Counties have the highest rate of MS in NY, for every 100,000 people there are 160 people diagnosed.

So I want to thank everyone who is supporting me and this cause. I have met my goal of $2,500.00 and I’m pretty sure I have exceeded it. I wish I could mention every individual‘s name that has donated, but we just don’t have the time today. A Special Thanks goes to the Crusaders Motorcycle Club, my extended family, for donating $500.00 and for supporting me and my idea. Also, to my family that supports me on a daily basis and helps me through the rough days; I love you and appreciate everything you do! One last very important thank you and that goes to the Zacher’s for letting me ride their bike today. We have a lot of bikes lined up in the garage, but my boys didn’t want me to ride them because they were afraid I would end up looking like them. Again, thank you for the donations, they are greatly appreciated.”

And on that note, I would like to say to Dawn, we greatly appreciate her too. Thank you for everything you do for the Club, your family and friends, co-workers and your community. We are lucky to have you!

LORETTA RISPOLI

This column is a tribute to our club members that work so hard to keep our track going season after season. It also gives you, the spectators and riders, an opportunity to get to know us better and not only as the “Red Shirts” as I have often heard people refer to us as. There are many deserving members who I will highlight in this area on another day, however this month I think it more fitting to honor a member that affected me and so many others in such a short time.

Once in a while you meet someone that is genuine and caring.  That’s what comes to mind when I think of Loretta Rispoli. Although she was not a Crusader for a long time, her infectious laughter and sense of humor will always come to mind. A nurse by trade, I heard stories from my own family members on how she was “the one in the know” at her office and how she was so caring to her patients and treated them with great respect. Her accent often gave her away and was often cause for conversation and stories from her past.

 Loretta was devoted to her family first and was always the great defender even though she may not have always agreed with them. She was proud of her children and husband and all the accomplishments they had made and looked forward to seeing them realize their dreams.

Loretta was with me in a great time of difficulty when I received the call that my father had taken a turn for the worst and it was her that was there to comfort me and console my breaking heart.  We enjoyed talking about our Irish roots and developed a kinship and trust in a short time. We had talked about going on a cruise together some day with a group of other racer moms; just because she said “We deserved it.”

She loved the sport of motorcycle racing more than most. She was instrumental in co-founding the Coolskunk KyDs Racing program that was influential in so many young racers lives giving them opportunities that they may not have gotten otherwise. She was known as everyone’s racer Mom making a few sandwiches and floating $20.00 bills to those in need along the way. 

She was a fun person to spend time with and last Sunday when I took the controls of the massive burger grill on opening day something or someone was missing. I looked to the right and my cohort in crime was not there to cheer me on and help me get through another long day with her quick wit and infectious smile. Or was she? She may be gone but will not be forgotten, Godspeed Loretta and we will meet again someday so get those umbrella drinks ready!

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