The purpose of creating this award was for it to be bestowed upon community members who emulate outstanding service, exceptional leadership, visionary guidance, and dedication in improving the quality of life in the City of Berwyn. The winner of this award will be given to a group that exemplifies these character traits. Tonight, we honor, the Ninety Sixers Motorcycle Club.

At first glance when you see the Ninety Sixers Motorcycle Club what you see are motorcycles, guys wearing leather vests, and tattoos. While everything on the “outside” makes them stand-out, what you might not have been able to notice is what is going on in the “inside” and that’s the size of their hearts and the willingness to give and to help out someone they don’t even know.

Many people went through some very tough stretches in the last 3 years. 2020 brought on different hardships that no one had ever faced before, both mentally and physically. People were afraid to leave their houses, jobs were lost, stress was at an all-time high.

With the holidays approaching, these bikers grew up in Berwyn and wanted to give back to their community. What started off as a goal of feeding 5 families in the first week of December, turned into so much more. The reasoning behind wanting to feed a family in need was that even if was just for one night, someone wouldn’t have to worry about providing food for their families during the pandemic.

After posting it on their Facebook Page and the power of Social Media, local business also contributed to their cause and the Ninety Sixers provided 120 meals in the first week. By the end of December, they were able to provide over 350 meals to different families in need. The next year, they built off the momentum from the previous year and provided over 400 meals.

The Ninety Sixers did not want to just limit their charitable work to only one month a year. They began participating in a tombstone cleaning at local cemeteries on Veterans Day to support our fallen heroes. You can find them at North Berwyn Park District events such as Art in the Park passing out their food or our Halloween Fest where they are known for passing out full-size candy bars to the trick-o-treaters. They also participate in Jefferson Elementary School’s Cancer Walk. This group is trying to reach every demographic in our community in an effort to make it a better place to be.

What it will read on Ninety Sixers’ trophy is: “when you DREAM big, BELIEVE in your talents, and strive to ACHIEVE your highest goals and aspirations…anything is possible.” The purpose of establishing this award was that the North Berwyn Park District Board of Commissioners wanted to make sure an individual’s contributions to the City of Berwyn will never be forgotten and where their legacy will live on for future generations to come.

The beautiful thing about this award and giving it to this year’s recipients is that it truly emulates everything the North Berwyn Park District values. Diversity is such a beautiful thing.

At the North Berwyn Park District, it doesn’t matter what you look like, what color your skin is, what gender you are: we accept you based on your character and the contributions you provide to this great city of Berwyn that we get to live in. That’s exactly what we saw in this bunch of bikers and why they received this award.

It is with great pride that the North Berwyn Park District announce the winner of the “2023 Joseph C. Vallez Award”  the Ninety Sixers Motorcycle Club.

Congratulations!

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