Dennis Renaud of Lynnville is known to many as the local “Feedman.” For 31 years, Renaud has owned and operated Renaud Feed Center with his wife Melanie, logging thousands of miles across the countryside delivering feed for area farmers. Re-naud’s presence in the farm industry has been one of kindness and dependability, so when the Feed-man was diag-nosed with carcinoid cancer in 2012, the community rallied behind him in the form of prayers, support, and a unique gesture the couple didn’t see coming.
Shared Love of Motorcycles
The mastermind behind the project, Jonny Rankin, holds daughter Charlie in front of the restored motorcycle at the reveal party.
It was also in 2012 when two Lynnville-Sully grads who had moved back to the community started Sully Speed Company. Jonny Rankin and Derrick Zimmerman launched their business of motorcycle restoration the summer of 2012 and made a reality of their dreams to get old motorcycles back on the road. One of the first bikes the two bought was a 1973 Honda CB350f, purchased from Renaud, which was in great original condition. The bike was fixed up and sold to an Australian collector. Another old bike that was collecting dust in Renaud’s machine shed was a 1973 CB450. The bike was covered in dirt and in poor condition – Renaud gave the bike to Rankin and Zimmerman and wished them well on a restoration that seemed impossible, given the bike’s shape.
Fast forward to Sully’s 2014 Fourth of July celebration when Rankin and Zimmerman opened up their shop – now located just off the Sully square – to the community as part of the festivities. Renaud and his family visited the open house and, according to Rankin, a 1972 CL450 in flawless condition caught Renaud’s eye. “I could tell it got his wheels spinning about his old bike,” said Rankin. “He started telling stories about experi-ences he had on the bike, and his kids and grandkids were super into it. Dennis was very proud of his bike, and I could tell he loved it.”
Two months later, Rankin was looking through notes on his phone and stumbled across his bucket list, one item which stated, “Give a motorcycle to someone who would love it more than me.” Rankin immediately thought of Renaud and the spark that was lit when he told stories of motorcycle years gone by to his grandkids. “Dennis’s attitude toward life and cancer inspired me,” said Rankin. “I decided that I was going to restore that bike and give it to a man who would love it more than me. He deserved something like this. He’s a good man.”
The Feedman’s Dream for Speed
The 1973 CB450 sat in a machine shed for years.
Rankin knew restoring the 1973 Honda would take a considerable amount of time, and even longer if funding the project was entirely done on his own. Rankin connected with Renaud’s oldest daughter, Sheila Punt of Pella. Punt, along with her sister Tasha Yepsen of Norwalk, created a Go Fund Me account to help cover the cost of parts. “We know a motorcycle is NOT a necessity, but we would love to bless dad in this way,” the sisters wrote on the “Feedman’s Need for Speed” Go Fund Me account page. Family, friends, and even strangers learned of the mission and gave generously, raising over $4,000 in just a few weeks. This far exceeded the original goal of $3,000. “There was enough money to pay for almost all of the parts and supplies it would take to restore the bike,” said Rankin.
A Long Journey
Rankin estimates he spent 200-plus hours on the restoration. He enlisted help from friend Derrick Zimmerman (shown) and Craig Maasdam, but did most of the work on his own.
While all of the planning and fundraising was taking place, Renaud and his wife Melanie knew nothing of the extensive project. The couple quietly moved forward with their jobs and family life, all while fighting a rare type of cancer and enduring bumps in the treatment journey the best they knew how. The side effects of cancer treatment caused some setbacks. Renaud suffered a seizure in December 2014 due to previous radiation on his brain, which left him unable to drive for a few months, and two hospitalizations in one month were dark times for the family.
During this dark time, Punt remembers the motorcycle restoration being a source of hope for those who were aware of the project.
Back in the shop, Rankin, with some help from Zimmerman, started the arduous process of stripping the motorcycle and slowly restoring it to its former beauty. The restoration project took a lot of time – Rankin estimates he spent 200-plus hours over the course of nearly two years working on the bike. “When you restore a bike, you keep what originality that you can, but the goal is to make it look like the day it rolled out of the showroom. Every inch of the bike has to be touched – engine, frame, chrome, every bolt, washer, nut – everything,” said Rankin. Life wasn’t on hold for Rankin during this process – throw in a full-time job, growing family, house renovation, and move, and you have the recipe for a very busy man.
The Big Reveal
Every inch of the bike was touched during the restoration.
After nearly two years, the 1973 CB450 that was once covered in dust sitting in a machine shed was fully restored and ready to be revealed to the man who at one time logged hundreds of exhilarating miles cruising down the road on two wheels. The night before the big reveal, Rankin enlisted the help of Zimmerman and Craig Maasdam to help with the finishing touches.
On Saturday night, Apr. 30, approximately 90 friends and family members packed the Sully First Reformed Church Fellowship Hall for the surprise party. Dennis and Melanie, who thought they were attending a granddaughter’s birthday party, arrived 30 minutes later than all other guests, who were standing in front of the restored motorcycle. After Dennis and Melanie walked in, the guests parted to reveal the bike.
“Dad was completely shocked and didn't even realize at first that the motorcycle in the room was his old motorcycle!” exclaimed Punt. “It looked so amazing! Then, he wondered what all those people were doing there.”
Surrounded by family and friends in his honor, Renaud was in awe and couldn’t believe all that had taken place. A video was shown that explained the background of the story followed by a catered meal for all guests. Punt notes the reveal party focused on two themes – community and restoration – and the family used two verses which have significant meaning – 1 Peter 5:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:17.
After a few days of reflecting on the events that took place Saturday night, Dennis and Melanie are overwhelmed with gratefulness and wish to thank everyone who played a part in the restoration project. Special thanks goes to Rankin, who spent countless hours restoring the bike; to everyone who generously contributed to the Go Fund Me account; and to those who have lifted the family up in prayer since the cancer diagnosis. “We are so humbled and appreciative of this, and still in shock!” Punt said. “This restoration has been an amazing part of dad’s cancer journey.”
