The Founder
Units Bikers Against Drugs Founder
Dealer-turned-preacher now selling anti-drug message through motorcycle association ( U.B.A.D. )
MT. VERNON – When Gary Linville preaches about the danger of drugs, he speaks from experience.
“I got delivered from drugs myself,” said the 49-year-old biker preacher in Rockcastle County Ky.
Whether passionately pushing his message from the pulpit or sharing a sermon from the seat of his Harley Davidson motorcycle, Linville has become a self-proclaimed “activist against the forces of evil, trying to rescue people” from the danger of drugs.
“Not only was I a drug addict, I was a drug dealer,”
Linville admitted. “I came within a hair of being destroyed myself.”
Today he is FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT of UBAD, a non-profit motorcycle riders association whose mission is to promote an anti-drug message and support treatment and education programs throughout southern and eastern Kentucky. A kickoff celebration was held for the faith based organization , April 30 2005.
‘A wild lifestyle’
Dropping out of school as a teen, Linville said he chose to engage in “a wild lifestyle.” He was eventually busted in an undercover drug investigation and elected to plead guilty to the charge. In 1980, “I accepted Christ in the Madison County Jail in 1980 ,” He set me free and change my life .
After spending time at the Kentucky State Reformatory in LaGrange, Linville was granted shock probation and set out on what has become a 25-year clean and sober mission . He has since had all his citizenship rights restored.
A licensed and ordained Full Gospel minister for the past 17 years, Linville has criss-crossed the state as a minister and pastor for 11 years . he has devoted much of his time reaching out to youth and others affected by drugs .
“For years I was ashamed of who I was and what I did. I tried to hide from it,” Linville said. “About five years ago I began sharing my testimony , of what God had done in my life .”
‘Im not proud of what I did, but I’m proud I was delivered from that (drug culture),” he continued. “I want people to know there is hope; you don’t have to be that way, or stay that way. This whole drug thing is a full-blown epidemic.”
Bikers Against Drugs
One way Linville has channeled his message is through a love of riding motorcycles, but has found it challenging to steer around obstacles created by negative stereotypes.
“Bikers have a bad image,” Linville acknowledged, noting unfavorable portrayals in movies and television shows combined with the occasional rogue “outlaw” gangs – only add to the problem. “There are a lot of Christian bikers, people who are against drugs. There are a lot of good bikers out there,” he said that care and want to help to save lives .
With his renewed outlook on life, strong spirituality and love for the open road, Linville set out to create something positive that would also show people ………………………………….
“we’re not just riding up and down the road causing trouble.”
The idea for a Bikers Against Drugs (BAD) group was about to be born.
About the same time, Operation UNITE (Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education) was beginning to implement community coalitions in each of the 29 counties it serves. Linville became involved with the Rockcastle County UNITE Coalition as co-chair, and stepped forward with an idea to hold a motorcycle ride fundraiser. The event drew approximately 70 bikers on a beautiful Saturday afternoon September 2004.
“That day, as we went from community to community, it was clear that the anti-drug message was out there and this was a good way to get the message out,” said Danielle Wells, community activities coordinator for UNITE, who participated in the event. “Generally, people see bikers as being right in the sub-culture of drugs. When they’re saying enough is enough, I think people pay attention, she said.
It didn’t take long for the wheels to begin spinning in Linville’s brain, and BAD was renamed to the catchy acronym U.B.A.D. “That was our goal, to unite bikers against drugs, nationwide he said.
From that day forward the flock of faithful followers has been steadily growing, and now counts among its members law enforcement officers, judges, business and civic leaders, government officials. along with former drug addicts and dealers.
“We went out of a crawl into a dead run and never have slowed down; Linville said, It’s unbelievable the people God has brought us in contact with.”
