Silver Valley motorcycle ride funds veteran resources

OSBURN — Money from a motorcycle ride across Shoshone County means more support for veterans in need for the Silver Valley. 

Rusty Mathis, Bill Needham and Don Byrd of the Widow Sons and Patriot Guard Riders organized the Serving our Military Mountain Ride and Rally with support from Dave Smith Motors and other local businesses. 

“Riders come from Coeur d’Alene and Spokane, too and all the local businesses helped, they make this happen,” Bryd said.   

The group doubled the donation amount from 2022 to 2023 and announced Tuesday at the VFW Post 1675 in Osburn that they had brought in a total of $3,000. 

Bill Needham said before donating to the VFW in recent years, money from the ride used to go towards national veteran groups like the Wounded Warrior Project.  

“Most of us are veterans and eventually, we got together and said, ‘hey, we can keep it local?’” Needham said.  

In spite of a patch of bad weather at the start, Byrd said they were happy the seventh year of the county-wide ride was another successful all-day rally.  

“The need is so great in the Valley, we see it grow every year, but we’ve had a safe ride every year,” Bryd said. 

VFW commander Chris Marker said the funds will be used for the next veterans Stand Down on Nov. 7. 

“The donations we get from them turns into food and fuel cards for the veterans and Kellogg Elks grants help, too,” Marker said. 

Coats, blankets and a hot meal are also given out during the quarterly Stand Down events.    

The route for the motorcycle rally took more than 30 riders from Rose Lake Cafe to Kings Inn in Kingston. 

Next year’s Serving our Military Mountain Ride and Rally is planned for August 23, 2025.