MITCHELL, S.D. – It all started as a new approach to reaching girls who are struggling with suicidal tendencies, trauma and abuse. It has become a life changing experience for the Abbott House girls, staff and project leader, Laura Klock.
Klock, vice president of Klock Werks Kustom Cycles and creator of this Helping with Horsepower™ program, created a 20 week motorcycle rebuild program designed to provide inspiration and support for the girls and young women of the Abbott House, a private residential treatment center for girls ages 7- to 17 who are at risk of not reaching adulthood. The project, a partnership between Helping with Horsepower™, Abbott House and several sponsors, has just been completed.
“This project gave Abbott House girls the opportunity to learn powerful life lessons while transforming a damaged motorcycle into a beautiful machine, just like they transform themselves into amazing young women,” Klock said. “Every week, this class was truly a journey of learning for the girls and for me. It was an opportunity for us to work together to create something better.”
Many leading industry businesses have also recognized the value in this project and have stepped up to support this cause including Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, Gear Wrench, Lindby Custom, Inc., Vance & Hines, the Vance Family Foundation, Mustang Motorcycle Seats, Paul Holdsworth of IronWorks Magazine, Saggy Bags, Wizards and Carl Brouhard Designs. All replacements parts for the motorcycle were donated. In addition to giving the girls practical experience and life skills, the Abbott House will benefit from Helping with Horsepower™ as the finished motorcycle is being raffled to raise needed funds for the organization.
Eric Klooz, director of the Abbott House, said the project couldn’t come at a better time. “We are fortunate to have this project as part of our programming and our fundraising efforts,” Klooz said. “It helps us help girls while simultaneously raising awareness and money to replace a $150,000 decrease in funding this year.”
Abbott House girls have been involved in creating the paint design for the rebuilt bike and they named the bike “Salt” representing the Salt of the earth. For many girls, the bike has been an incentive to deal with their personal issues and a challenge that has helped them build self-confidence and believe that they can handle new challenges – just like they will face in every day situations.
“I’ve never handled tools before,” said Sara, an Abbott House resident. “…For me this bike has been an opportunity to learn new skills in a hands on environment and to prove to myself that I can do more than I ever thought I could.”
To help girls believe in themselves and support the motorcycle rebuild project, raffle tickets can be purchased online at www.abbotthouse.org. Salt will also travel across the state to events, fairs and parades throughout the summer. Please watch for it in your community. Raffle tickets are also available at Abbott House, County Fair, County Fair Food and Fuel, Highland Travel Plaza, Graham Mobile, Arnie’s First and Foster, and the Sweet Shoppe in Mitchell, and Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain.