Langley, B.C., is getting behind the Army's Gateway of Hope project. Members of the King's Riders, a Langley/Surrey Christian motorcycle club, paid $30 each ($50 if they brought along a passenger) to take part in the third annual Mercy Ride for the Homeless. The day included a two-hour motorcycle ride followed by a barbecue, a performance by a Johnny Cash tribute band and a silent auction.

Envoy Gary Johnson, corps officer, oversees the Gateway of Hope project that, when completed, will provide accommodation for the homeless. An emphasis will be placed on employment skills encouraging its residents to become contributing members of their communities.

Two weeks before the mercy ride, Langley's St. Andrew's Anglican Church held a rock mass with proceeds from a free-will offering going to the project as well. The service featured traditional elements of worship performed in a rock style by Randy Murray, a member of the Canadian rock band Bachman Turner Overdrive. Envoy Johnson addressed the congregation at the gathering, outlining plans for the facility.

The Gateway of Hope will be a 31,000-square-foot facility providing accommodation for 55 men and women and daily meals for up to 150. Envoy Johnson is excited about the ministry that will take place. “We want to get people out of their survival mode and start building relationships with them. After a few nights in a clean bed, they start to think differently.”

Photo: Event organizer Dwayne Mitchell, Mayor Peter Fassbender and MP Mark Warawa take part in the third annual Mercy Ride for the Homeless