The Hells Angels and the UGM Crisis Shelter are neighbors.

The Softer Side of the Hells Angels

By Barbara Comito, Director of Marketing & Communications

The Hells Angels may have an image problem. 

Personally, I know I've always pictured them as bikers in black leather, chains and do rags, heavily tatted up with a propensity toward violence, heavy drinking, drugs and borderline criminal dealings.

I certainly did not picture them like this:

OK, the black leather and tattoos were accurate - one gentleman had gauges large enough to slip a quarter through - but it's tough to be intimidating when you're standing in front of pink boxes of frilly dolls or high-fiving a little guy on his very first bike.

The UGM Crisis Shelter for Women and Children is located at 1234 E Sprague Ave., right next door to the Hells Angels headquarters. They have always been respectful and considerate to our women, families and staff, and for the second year in a row, the group organized a huge toy giveaway at the Shelter. They solicited donations - including 25 brand new bikes - brought them over to the Shelter and hung out while ecstatic children, moms and grandmas selected their gifts.

The pictures tell the story.

This post should not be seen as an endorsement, just a picture of what happened one night between two unlikely neighbors.

A famous quote attributed to the group goes like this: "When we do right, nobody remembers. When we do wrong, nobody forgets."

Last Saturday night, the group made the holidays brighter for the women and children living at the Crisis Shelter. We remember.

To read more about the Hells Angels neighbors, sign up for our monthly updates on the Crisis Shelter (believe us, it makes for interesting reading).