2008 Woodie Awards
Biker tribute rocks church in Allston
Maggie Cassidy
Issue date: 5/9/07 Section: The Inside
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"It was a place you would see him," said Amita Basra, a junior nursing major who said she met Riker when they worked at Ace Hardware several years ago.
Riker, 22, was struck and killed by a tractor trailer truck while riding his bike at the intersection of Forsyth Street and Huntington Avenue April 4.
The Gordon Riker Benefit Show, organized by his brother, Andrew Riker, was held at the International Community Church (ICC) in Allston. Proceeds from the show benefited the Gordon Riker Foundation for Bike Safety Awareness, the Riker family and Art Terror, Riker's t-shirt line which, will be continued by Andrew.
The event featured live performances by four bands whose members were friends with Riker: Medicated Kisses, A Loss For Words, Therefore I Am and Vanna.
Andrew Riker said in an e-mail to The News that the show was "amazing" and raised about $11,000. Because of the large turnout, a second portion of the church was opened to accommodate the overflow.
"It was definitely a positive event, just watching everyone hugging everyone and hanging out," said Reena Leone, a Northeastern graduate who met Gordon Riker through the members of Vanna a few years ago. She said the church was about 200 people over capacity.
Nick Lambert, Gordon's longtime friend from Mass. Art, agreed. A guitarist in Vanna, Lambert said the event was a good way for people to remember him in a positive light.
"Anyone who really knew Gordon well, [knew] he wouldn't have wanted people to be sitting at the show complaining or crying about the whole situation," he said.
While the event was solemn, there was an "awesome vibe" throughout the night, he said.
Art Terror shirts were on sale alongside tribute T-shirts with Gordon Riker's slogan, "Stay Positive" printed on the back.
"Even though this was a really tragic and terrible circumstance, it's just a reminder to live life the way he did," Leone said. "His whole message of stay positive ... I think he really lived up to [it]."
To contribute to the Gordon Riker Foundation for Bike Safety Awareness, contact Andrew Riker at ariker@gmail.com.
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