T he City of Sturgis, South Dakota, recently announced a partnership with Laura Klock, founder and president of Helping with Horsepower, to customize a 2018 Harley-Davidson Road Glide for the 2023 Mecum Las Vegas Auction through her Helping with Horsepower Bike Rebuild Program. Students from Mitchell Technical College’s Powersports Program are contributing their efforts, and tear down has begun. “What an honor to be asked to share our program to benefit the City’s Sturgis Rally Endowment fund and promote the Rally,” Klock said. The Helping with Horsepower Bike Rebuild Program began in 2011, inspired by Klock’s desire to share motorcycles as a tool to teach life lessons to at-risk youth ages 7-17 in residential treatment. Klock said the program has affected countless lives, including, most recently, a group of South Dakota Veterans who came together for a bike build. The mission of the Helping with Horsepower Bike Rebuild Program is to teach life lessons on a personal and professional level, hands-on, with youth, Veterans or any group that would benefit from the experience, all while providing education, empowerment and encouragement that delivers an important message: “Just like a motorcycle, you can repair, customize and rebuild anything in your life with the right tools and inspiration,” Klock said. The hands chosen to work on this project are those of seven second-year students from Mitchell Technical College. “Participants in the program are hands-on throughout the entire customization process, including design and marketing,” Klock said. “This one is special because the Rally connects generations, and this project is meant to honor 83 years with a nod to the history of racing through our performance bagger style.” Chris Degen, Mitchell Technical College’s PowerSports program director, said he was searching for a project for his students, and this collaboration seemed to be a perfect fit. Participants in the Helping with Horsepower Bike Rebuild Program include Evan Juracek (back row from left), Jacob Johnson, Mason Larson and Nick Huber, as well as Chris Degen (front row from left), Laura Klock, Kash Weischedel, Michael Supik and Austin Munkvold. Evan Juracek, Mike Supik and Chris Degen put in time and effort on the bike build. MECUM.COM // 85 MECUM.COM // 85
