The History of the
- Northwest Illinois Chapter -

Back in the spring of 1978, a bunch of guys in Freeport, IL, used to get together on the weekends to ride and party. Freeport, the county seat for Stephenson Co. IL, is located in the northwest corner of the state, 10 miles from the Wisconsin border and 50 miles from Iowa.

One of the guys was from Cedar Lake, Indiana. He knew a couple of bikers from Cedar Lake who were Invaders. One of them, Big Bob, was killed in Feb, 1980. The guys in Freeport were informed by a Cedar Lake chapter member, but not until after the services were held. Because they couldn't be there, they wanted to do something special so they planned a party at the local hangout called the "Zoo". The guests of honor were Northern Indiana and Cedar Lake chapters of the Invaders Motorcycle Club. Everybody had a great time.

The next party that the Cedar Lake chapter had, they invited the guys from Freeport, and again it was a good time for good people. This initially started the "club" bug. Originally, the idea was to form a small local club and party with the Invaders. But we didn't know how to get it started. We had apprehension, doubt, and second thoughts. We told a Cedar Lake chapter member about forming our own club, and he explained how the Invaders' laws allowed for starting up new chapters. This idea caused several people to back down. Those who knew this is what they really wanted, went on to finish what they started. At the Invaders M.C. Labor Day Run, 1980, in Sturgis, So. Dakota, we were voted in as the Northwest Illinois Chapter.

If it hadn't been for Igor's support and devotion to us and the club, not only would it not have happened, it would never had made it or lasted this long. That chapter was given little chance of survival. Mostly because we live in "Small Town, USA". We've never been large, but that's okay, because as long as you've got good brothers back to back, it never ends. This we were taught, this we believe, this we pass on to others and most importantly, this is how we live, strive, and survive.

The Northwest Illinois chapter has had it's share of ups and downs, and it would be naive to say we've always come out on top. That wouldn't be the truth, and the truth is important, the truth is we're still here and proud not just to have survived but to have participated and contributed in the proud history of the biggest club of it's size in the world!

Nobody needs to teach you how to be a man, nobody should need to teach you how to be a biker, but nobody can know how to be an Invader until he's done it and done it for a long time.

And then it never ends, it's a life-long experience. We've had people come and go. Most just moved on, leaving in good standing. Some just didn't cut it and some we had to let go. We had to bury one, that's the toughest. It's a heavy load to carry for just doing something you want to do.

But that's what it's all about. That's what makes us who and what we are: Invaders.
Our chapter's motto is "Damn Glad to Be Here", and we're here 25 years on Labor Day, 2005, only in America.

In memory of "Sleepy",
Invaders Forever, Forever Invaders.

"Fast Eddie"

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