MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Turning 100 years old is nothing to scoff about, and credit union officials were on hand over the Labor Day weekend to help Harley-Davidson celebrate its centennial birthday. More than an estimated 10,000 men and women Harley riders joined in an eight-mile parade on Aug. 30 and attended a massive birthday party Aug. 31 at Veteran's Park on Lake Michigan which featured Elton John, among the list of entertainers. Counting the spectators and other participants, the celebration drew 200,000-300,000 people. Among the Harley riders was Tom Barnes, president/CEO, First American CU, Beloit, Wis. Barnes has been riding motorcycles for 44 years and currently rides two Harleys – an Ultra Classic and an 84 FLH. His wife Teri, director of Black Hawk CU, also rides a Harley – a 1995 Custom Sportster. Barnes took his first motorcycle ride when he was 10, owned his first motorcycle when he was 15, and by 16 owned his first Harley. Now 54 years old, Barnes estimates he's owned about 15 Harleys over the past 37 years. Barnes got an early start to the birthday celebration, beginning on Wednesday by attending various event parties and Harley dealer events around the city. He said he was impressed with how well organized the weekend's events were and how smoothly everything went. Also on hand for the celebration were Richard Jungen, CEO and his wife Elaine, president of Central States Mortgage Company, a mortgage CUSO owned by 23 credit unions that provides mortgage services including title and mortgage insurance to 100 credit unions in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. CSMC also owns a majority share of realty firm HomeSale Realty. For Jungen, participating in Harley-Davidson's birthday bash was the culmination of a 22-day, 7,000 motorcycle trip he went on with friends that was timed to end in Milwaukee on Harley's birthday weekend. Jungen's trip was one of four `Harley Rides Home' that were held as part of the motorcycle's 100th birthday celebration. Jungen has owned Harleys for 36 years. He bought his first in 1967 – it was a used 1961 model. At the time, Jungen owned a Triumph motorcycle, but when he had the chance to purchase the Harley for $1,300, it was an opportunity Jungen couldn't pass up. Jungen has owned eight Harley's since then – he currently has a 2002 Ultra Classic. On Aug. 29, Jungen and other bikers started their celebration early by partaking in the 20th anniversary party of the national Harley Owners Group Club. The rally is held every year by Harley owners who have to be able to give their bike's serial number and their registration number to be able to join the club. "A lot of old time bikers consider the members of this club to be too yuppie," said Jungen, who commented on how much his image of adults who ride motorcycles has changed. "They're not the stereotypical, renegade image bike riders." Dean Wilson, president,CEO, Wauwatosa CU, can attest to that. He described coming to a favorite bagel shop with his young daughter one day before the Labor Day weekend. Outside the store were parked several Harleys, and inside Wilson said the bikers were enjoying their bagels and coffee. There was a time you would never see bikers in a place like this eating bagels, he said. Wauwatosa CU was chartered in 1937 as Harley-Davidson Employees CU by a group of Harley-Davidson employees. The credit union went through several name changes over the years, and in April 2000 it merged with an existing credit union that was based in Wauwatosa and located near Harley-Davidson's main plant. The $31 million, 7,200-member credit union now counts among its field-of-membership Harley-Davidson employees and their families, as well as company retirees. It also serves three counties – Ozaukee, Milwaukee and Waukesha – and has three branches which are strategically located to Harley-Davidson plants. Wilson said just driving a Harley doesn't make a person eligible to join Wauwatosa CU, but he said the credit union has considered defining its FOM to include "HOG" groups which include about 750,000 members worldwide. Currently, about 2,500 of the credit union's members are active Harley-Davidson employees, and Wilson said 40% of Wauwatosa's loan portfolio include loans made to purchase Harleys. [email protected]