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About Us
FLORIDA CHAPTER XVII
Florida Chapter XVII is located in Tampa and has a membership of nearly 70 law enforcement professionals. We are a member of the Southern Regional Conference. (SRC). Our membership of active and retired officers comes from local, state, and federal agencies. We ride many different brands and styles of motorcycles. The chapter meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm at a local restaurant. We have local dinner rides on the fourth Thursday of each month and weekend, overnight and day rides on the second and fourth Sundays of each month.
We eagerly welcome new members always having room for a few more! For more information, contact our President or Vice President about our chapter. Come visit our meeting, meet the members, and see what we are about.
There were 17 members of Florida II (St. Petersburg chapter) living in Hillsborough County who decided to start their own chapter in Tampa. In September 1990, the group began meeting on Friday nights at the Steak 'n Shake on Gandy Blvd. in Tampa for fellowship and to establish a new Blue Knights chapter. They received a starter kit from International and a supportive letter of endorsement from Florida II (not opposing another chapter within a 50 mile radius). The chapter was founded and received its charter in January, 1991 with its first sixteen "founding members"..
This group of Florida II members formed Florida XVII in 1991:
Founding Members
Bruce Beausoleil
Ferrell "Little Bear" Beck - (Heaven 1 - 1996)
Gordon Brainerd
Mitch Burney
Mary Coakley
Pat Coakley
Eddie Kurtzeborn
Dave McCoy - (Heaven 1 - 1993)
Joe McFadden
Albert McPherson
Dennis Oliveria
Jeff Peterman
Neal Ribeiro
David "Doc" Riley
Gary Roo
Larry VanDyke
Curt White
Of the seventeen Blue Knights who have held the position of President of Blue Knights International, Florida XVII benefits from five of them joining us at least half of their year. We have Chuck Shuman - President #1, Wayne Lebree - President #2, Jim Burgess - President #10, Bob Flanagan -
President #14, and Connie Flanagan - President #16. As there is always room at our numerous activities, Florida is filling fast but we do invite the rest of the International Presidents to join us and see what FL XVII does right.
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Blue Knights® International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Inc.
History
The Blue Knights® is a non-profit fraternal organization consisting of active and retired law enforcement men & women who enjoy riding motorcycles.
In the Spring of 1974, several law enforcement officers* from the Bangor, Maine (USA) area met and formed a small, local motorcycle club. The rest, as they say, is history.
Soon, Blue Knights chapters were being formed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and beyond. With the addition of Canada, and later Australia, the Blue Knights became an international organization.
*Our Founding Fathers are: Joel Rudom, Bill Bobinson, Doug Miner, Ed Gallant, Mike Hall, Chuck Gesner, Wayne Labree, Chuck Shuman.
As of November 2005, we have 565 chapters and over 19,000 members in 28 countries.
According to the By-Laws, our Purposes and goals are to:
1. Provide for the mutual assistance, enjoyment, entertainment, education, physical, mental and social benefit of its members and general public.
2. To promote and advance the sport of motorcycling and the safety of motorcycling.
3. To serve the interests of motorcycle owners and users.
4. To promote by example and any other acceptable means, safe use, operation and enjoyment of motorcycles.
5. To develop a fraternal spirit between law enforcement personnel and the general public.
The Blue Knights is a family fraternity. Spouses and children often accompany our members to the various rides and functions. When traveling, local members can provide assistance, directions and sometimes a place to stay. We are truly a family.
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