Nearly 100 motorcycles rolled through the winding roads of Tiverton and Little Compton on a recent Saturday morning as members of the Watchkeepers Motorcycle Club gathered for their 11th annual charity ride, combining their love of the open road with a mission to give back.

The ride concluded at the VFW post in Tiverton, where members, other motorcycle clubs such as The Blue Knights, The Renegade Pigs, The Combat Vets of Rhode Island, and supporters raised money for the Aquidneck Food Pantry.

“We’re basically a bunch of men who just like to ride together,” said Joseph Carroll, president of the Watchkeepers and a captain with the Newport Police Department. “We do a lot of charity fundraising. Requests come into us, and we donate to local charities.”

The East Bay-based club is made up primarily of current and retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, military veterans, active-duty service members and security professionals. Carroll, who has served more than 26 years with the Newport Police Department and has been a Watchkeeper for six years, said membership has always been intentional.

“We don’t just have members join,” he said. “We’re about quality.”

Friendship and trust

That approach has helped build a close-knit group rooted in trust, friendship and shared values.

Beyond the annual food pantry fundraiser, the Watchkeepers support causes throughout the East Bay. Members volunteer during the Maher Center’s annual Christmas tree sale, and Carroll said the club is also preparing to support Owen, a local young boy battling cancer. While that effort is still in the planning stages, he said it reflects the group’s commitment to stepping up whenever members of the community need help.

For Carroll, riding offers a welcome escape from the pressures of police work.

“I just like riding and being part of a group that’s outside of my regular job,” he said. “It lets me disengage, reduce my stress level, and I have fun riding with the guys.”

That camaraderie extends to every ride.

“We don’t leave anyone behind,” Carroll said.

Whether someone has a mechanical issue or simply needs to stop, the group waits until everyone is ready to continue. It’s a philosophy rooted in the military and first responder backgrounds shared by many members, where teamwork and accountability come naturally.

Staying close to home

Although the Watchkeepers travel throughout New England and have an annual trip to the Pocono Mountains planned for August, Carroll said some of their favorite local roads are the ones closest to home, particularly through Tiverton and Little Compton.

That same sense of responsibility shapes how the Watchkeepers hope to be viewed by the community.

“We’re just a regular motorcycle club that enjoys riding,” Carroll said. “We follow the rules and just enjoy riding.”

For Carroll, it’s important that people recognize the club not through outdated stereotypes often associated with motorcycle clubs, but through its commitment to charity, camaraderie and looking out for one another.

If he could choose one destination for a future club ride, Carroll doesn’t hesitate.

“Sturgis,” he said with a smile.

Whether raising money for local charities, planning their next ride or rallying around someone in need, the Watchkeepers have built their club around something bigger than motorcycles — a commitment to one another and to the communities they serve.