'Serving our Soldiers Mountain Ride' raises funds for vets

KELLOGG — What better way to raise money for a good cause than taking your motorcycle for a day-ride with your friends?

That's exactly what 27 bikers did on Saturday for the 2nd "Serving our Soldiers Mountain Ride."

Starting at the Trail Motel in Kellogg, the charity ride included members of groups such as Bikers for Christ, Kindred Spirits, Widow's Sons, and other various solo riders.

Organizer Don Byrd explained that the goal of the event is to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following Sept. 11, 2001.

After participants got all their paperwork taken care of Saturday morning, it was time to prepare for the trip.

"We have 'the blessing of the bikes' before we leave and go over all the rules of the road," Byrd said. "Just making sure we crossed all of our T's and dotted all of our I's, so we could have a safe ride."

By 9 a.m., the group had rolled out of the Trail Motel parking lot and were on their way to Kingston. The day-long ride had the bikers going from Kingston to Murray (where they stopped for lunch), Thompson Falls to St. Regis, and then back to Kellogg.

Once home, the bikers rallied at Zanys Sunshine for pizza and to draw their raffle winner. Raffle prizes were donated by local businesses.

When the day was over, the event had raised exactly $1,000 for WWP. While this year's ride had fewer riders than the year previous, it did raise double the amount of money.

Byrd and his fellow organizers first got the idea for the Mountain Ride three years ago, when a man who was walking cross-country for veterans stayed at the Trail Motel.

"I had been looking to do a project for bikers in the area," Byrd said. "Once I heard this guy's story, I had done my research on the Wounded Warrior Project … and decided that this is where I was going to go with this."

Even with a few hiccups to start the ride, Byrd thought everything went great overall and was thankful to those who helped put it on.

"Big thanks to Adam and Amanda Hooker, Bill Nedham, Jennifer Wheeler, Rusty Mathis and Lori Brewster," Byrd said.

Byrd was also appreciative of the businesses who donated to the raffle prize.

Looking forward, he hopes to have the Mountain Ride benefit not only WWP, but also another local veteran's organization.