Time again for the Papa Joe Ride (UPDATED)

Cooking at the Papa Joe Run will be a family affair including the Lefevbre-Parise clans.
(L-R)Nina Parise, Rosemary Hurley, Diana Lefevbre, Don Lefevbre, Nancy Parise and Zorba's chef Dimitrios Kostaras, known to many as Cheffy.
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Joseph Isadore Lefebvre loved nothing better than to ride his 1980 Harley-Davidson FLH Shovelhead motorcycle.

Lefebvre, who had nine children and worked at the North Bay Psychiatric Hospital, died of cancer in 1994, at 73, but his memory has been preserved by his son Don, who rebuilt the Harley and now rides it.

Perhaps his most important trip, he said, is the Papa Joe Ride, now in its tenth year, which raises money for cancer through, what else but a motorcycle ride.

It’s being held May 29 at Zorba’s Bar and Grill, and on the road.

Participants in the event travel between North Bay and Mattawa.

And then, when they return, there’s the food, a loving preparation prepared by both sides of Lefevbre’s family.
His mother-in-law Nina Parise, former proprietor of Mama Parise’s, will be slaving over a hot stove cooking mass quantities of her famous lasagne. She’s ably assisted by her daughters Nancy, Rosemary and Theresa.

Two pigs are also going to be barbequed by Zorba’s chef Dimitrios Kostaras, or Cheffy, as he's known, and Lefebvre will be whipping up potsful of his specialty, original-recipe pork and beans, made with wine, maple syrup.

Levebre’s sisters will be preparing all sorts of salads and sidedishes

Musical acts include The Tune Dogs, The Jake Thomas Band and Reggie and The Hubcaps.

The day is a bittersweet one for him, Lefebvre said, because it raises money for a good cause on the one hand, but reminds him, on the other hand of why it’s being done.

“Cancer can be a deadly disease,” Lefebvre said, “and the lives of so many families are touched by it.”

Lefebvre said he’s “had the honour” of riding with his father.

“He was a gentleman, one of the nicest people and with a great personality,” Lefebvre said.

“If you spoke to him for even 10 minutes, you’d never forget him.”

So far the ride has raised $70,000 for the North Bay General Hospital, and the money will be going toward the cancer/chemotherapy waiting area at the new facility.

A barbeque will be held at Zorba's Grill following the ride and musical acts include The Tune Dogs, The Jake Thomas Band and Reggie and The Hubcaps.

Pledge forms are available at Zorba's.

Click here to see a picture of a 1980 Harley-Davidson FLH Shovelhead.