Tokens of appreciation for long-haul truckers

Biker club shows some love for unsung heroes of the open road

Members of the Bikers Against Teenage Addiction and Abuse (BATAA) North Idaho club, Snapper, hopped off their motorcycles and showed truck drivers some love last weekend.

The benevolent bikers took over the Huetter rest area between Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls for about five hours on Saturday to provide refreshments and camaraderie for the unsung heroes of the open road.

"BATAA isn't your stereotypical biker club. We're all about being there for the community," Snapper club secretary Tarisa Thompson-Hatrock of Rathdrum said Wednesday. "We like to do things that give back to our community, especially in times like this when truckers are having a hard time getting drinks and snacks."

Thompson said even though the weigh station was closed, BATAA members connected with more than a dozen long-haul truckers who are working crazy hours to keep up with supply and demand amid the pandemic. She said many were just happy to engage in conversation.

"It was a great response," she said. "They're working their butts off."

BATAA (the acronym pronounced "bey-tuh") is a tight-knit, 3-year-old club that promotes community service not just because its members can, but because they feel they must. Members organize events throughout the year.

"We're all family. Our club is the true definition of brother and sisterhood. We're there for each other through everything," Thompson-Hatrock said.