After 25 years and $3.5M+ for Make-A-Wish, Hot Harley Nights to transition to a new event
After 25 years and $3.5M+ for Make-A-Wish, Hot Harley Nights to transition to new event
This paid piece is sponsored by J&L Harley-Davidson.
Hot Harley Nights is retiring after 25 years, though its longtime commitment to Make-A-Wish will continue through a new event and other giving.
Organized by J&L Harley-Davidson and supported by hundreds of volunteers, the event at its peak drew as many as 30,000 people for a parade of Make-A-Wish kids followed by as many as 5,000 Harleys and their riders.
It all started when J&L co-founder Jim Entenman encountered a similar event at a California dealership while there for a training seminar.
When he and former longtime CFO Char Roth returned, they created Hot Harley Nights, formed a committee and drew 200 people to a poker run that first year.
“And we raised $3,000 and thought it was a pretty good deal to raise that much in a charity poker run,” Entenman said. “And we just grew it from there.”
His sons, Jimmy and Joe, grew up with the event, which was held downtown for many years before moving to the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds.
“My lifelong friends still talk about it – including the non-motorcycle riders,” Jimmy said.
“It was incredible to be able to see the whole spectrum of how an event for charity works and how it ends up affecting not just the child who is able to be granted a wish but the families who also have been so impacted.”
The Entenman family got to know many of the wish kids and their families, Joe added.
“We always put the kids front-and center,” he said. “And a lot of them are still here today and would come back and volunteer as young adults with families.”
There are a lot of nonprofits to choose from as the beneficiary of such an event.
But for the Entenman family, Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana became the natural fit following a family tragedy. Jim’s younger brother Brian died at age 18 from Hepatitis B and the family became involved with Make-A-Wish in his memory.
“We were involved for so many years, it touched me and was something my father felt strongly about, and this became a way to touch a lot of people, especially kids and families,” Jim said. “We’re really excited about what we were able to do and thought after 25 years it was probably the right time to move on and look at doing something different.”
That will still include partnering with Make-A-Wish, though, where J&L’s giving has left a profound impact.
“It’s been simply unbelievable,” said Sue Salter, who became president and CEO in 2018.
“It’s difficult to find the words to express our gratitude to the Entenman family, the staff at J&L Harley-Davidson and all the volunteers, supporters and participants who have made this iconic summer event such a success. And it’s bigger than the sheer magnitude of the event itself. It’s been an ongoing commitment to our community and to our wish kids and families.”
Longtime former president and CEO Mary Olinger remembers it all started with J&L and board members selling tickets in Sturgis for a motorcycle and donating the proceeds to Make-A-Wish.
As Hot Harley Nights expanded downtown, “it was heartwarming to see all the people cheering as hundreds of bikes roared onto Phillips Avenue,” Olinger said.
“We could believe that all these people would come out to support us. So many people made things happen from the Entenman family and the J&L Harley-Davidson team to the Sioux Falls police, the media, wish families, board members, volunteers, my own family, and the commitment of people was just so impressive.”
When Paul Krueger became CEO in 2010, he began to witness how many thousands of people were impacted by the event.
“Few events in the region have had the level of impact that this one did – and the kids were always the heroes of it,” he said.
“The legacy of Hot Harley Nights will live on forever. The event has touched the lives of so many people in the region including hundreds of wish kids and their families. To say thank you to the Entenman family, J&L Harley-Davidson and everyone involved doesn't seem like enough. But truly this event will be remembered as one of the best, most charitable, and most impactful events for years to come."
Hot Harley Nights grew to the extent that it was supported by more than 350 volunteers, many who came back year after year.
“This event had, hands down, the most dedicated and hard-working volunteers,” said Kerry Pollema, senior director for volunteers and marketing/communications at Make-A-Wish.
“Volunteering for this event was more than just another volunteer opportunity. It was a tradition for many, emotional for some but fun for all. Volunteers brought energy, fun and spirit to the event and helped build it into the success it became. We offer our heartfelt thanks to each and every volunteer who gave their time, commitment and skills to Hot Harley Nights over the 25 years to help bring hope, strength and transformation to wish kids and families.”
Make-A-Wish board of directors vice chair Rae Morlan volunteered for many years with her husband, Jeff.
“Rarely do you find a family business that has given for more than 25 years at the same intensity and drive that the Entenmans have,” she said. “But this is Sioux Falls – so passionate and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children in a way that brings the community together to help.”
Morlan remembers picking up Sylvia Henkin so she could ride – into her 80s – on a motorcycle with Chad McKenzie, while Carole Pagones sat in a lawn chair at 6th and Phillips and watched.
“The parade was a highlight,” Morlan said.
“From the first bike leading the way to the very last motorcycle, people would pack Phillips Avenue clapping and cheering and celebrating the wish kids. There is nothing like the rumble of thousands of bikes surrounded by quartzite. The parade easily lasted about 90 minutes and brought so many memories.”
The most powerful point here, though, is that the impact of Hot Harley Nights is bigger than even 25 years of giving.
“Because of the success of the event and careful stewardship of the dollars it generated, that commitment lives on in perpetuity and will continue to bring hope to kids and families when they need it most,” Salter said.
A portion of the proceeds each year were dedicated to an endowment, “which will support a certain number of wishes for kids we haven’t even met yet with wishes we haven’t yet heard,” she said. “We are in a better financial position to make those wishes come true thanks to the incredible success of Hot Harley Nights.”
Determining it was time to retire the event in its current form was an emotional decision for Jimmy and Joe, who became sole owners of J&L at the end of 2021.
“It had grown so much it essentially was its own nonprofit centered around one event each year,” Joe said. “If we could figure out a way to sustain it that made sense we would, but a lot has changed over the years when it comes to putting on major events, and we feel we can make a big impact by making some adjustments and offering something new.”
What’s next
The Entenmans are planning a new summer event, the Soo Foo Moto Show, that will be held July 15-17 at J&L’s location at 2601 W. 60TH St. North.
“It’s going to be a weekend event most likely consisting of a weekend-long poker run, a concert on Friday night, a bike and car show on Saturday and a bike show on Sunday,” Joe said.
“This is something we can do while still managing our business and not getting as involved with planning vendors and other event partners. And we think doing this at a smaller scale ultimately could be a more effective fundraising mechanism.”
The Entenmans “have expressed in no uncertain terms that their commitment to our organization is as strong as ever,” Salter added. “While this event will look different, Hot Harley Nights also started in a very grassroots, local way to bring people together to rally around a common cause, a beautiful mission and to bring hope.”
Looking back, there’s a lot to be grateful for; and looking ahead, there’s a bright future, Jim said.
“I just want to make sure people understand how proud we are of the community and the way they stepped up to support Hot Harley Nights,” he said.
“I’m excited about the future, I’m excited about motorcycling and I’m excited about what Jimmy and Joe are doing as they go into future. I thank this community from the bottom of my heart for the support they gave Hot Harley Nights, my family and of course Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana.”